Singapore-based giant panda Kai Kai has health check

Male giant panda Kai Kai, who lives in Singapore's River Safari, had a thorough medical examination on Friday, and the results showed he was healthy and fertile, River Safari said on Thursday. The examination of one hour and a half comprised "a full dental and body check, blood sample withdrawal, an X-ray and ultrasound scan," the water animal park said. It was part of a routine annual check-up for the six-year-old male panda. For the first time since his arrival in Singapore in 2012, Kai Kai's health check also included electroejaculation, a technique that is commonly used for semen collection to evaluate the reproductive status of animals. The park said that while more data analysis is being conducted to assess the quality of the sperms, preliminary results indicate that he is "a healthy, fertile male." The zoo said that the vet and keepers will do a medical examination for Jia Jia later. Vets and keepers are closely monitoring Kai Kai and his female partner, five-year-old Jia Jia, for significant changes in behavior that indicate their readiness to mate. When ready, male pandas will vocalize, perform handstands against trees, walls and rocks, scent-marking as high up as possible. Females will show signs such as scent-marking, restlessness and characteristic bleating sounds. Kai Kai and Jia Jia arrived in Singapore on a ten-year lease in September 2012. Giant pandas are usually starting to be ready to conceive babies by the age of 5.5 to 7 years.