Panda recovering from bout of colic

Jan 17 2012

One of the UK's two giant pandas is making a steady recovery from a bout of colic that saw him removed from public show.

Yang Guang is "brighter and more active" after he passed a plug of so-called panda slime over the weekend.

The mucus jelly-like pellet is produced in the bear's large intestines to help ease the irritation of colic.

Zoo officials said the panda had already returned to eating large quantities of bamboo.

The male panda started feeling under the weather less than a month after he and female panda Tian Tian went on display at their new home at Edinburgh Zoo.

Zoo bosses said the bear's illness was not serious but can cause discomfort.

The eight-year-old animal started displaying symptoms last week and was kept away from public view as he tried to get better.

Colic is a common condition that, in humans, affects around one in five babies of both sexes. Its cause is unknown.

The most common symptom of colic is excessive crying in a baby, which otherwise appears to be healthy and well fed.

Simon Girling, head of veterinary services at Edinburgh Zoo, said: "Yang Guang has been steadily improving from his bought of panda colic"