Helping Kai Kai and Jia Jia become Papa and Mama

It is notoriously difficult to get pandas in captivity to conceive, but at the Singapore Zoo, keepers are hoping that, with a little help from science, it will be fourth time lucky for Kai Kai and Jia Jia. Samantha Boh and Wang Hui Fen, who were given an exclusive behind-the- scenes look at how the procedure was performed, take you through the mammoth effort

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Kai Kai looking in the pink of health almost two weeks after the artificial insemination procedure.
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Jia Jia looking in the pink of health almost two weeks after the artificial insemination procedure.
It was 8.55pm when the first patient, Kai Kai, arrived at the Singapore Zoo’s clinic. ST PHOTO: WANG HUIFEN
Kai Kai being intubated so that he can be hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe while under anaesthesia. ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN
Senior veterinarian Abraham Mathew (third from left) delivering 5ml of milky liquid into Jia Jia. Beside him are obstetrics and gynaecology specialist Ng Soon Chye and Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) director of conservation, research and veterinary services Sonja Luz. ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN
Panda Jia Jia is ready to be taken back to her enclosure after the artificial insemination. ST PHOTO: WANG HUI FEN
Jia Jia in her enclosure on April 18, 2018. ST PHOTO: WANG HUIFEN
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SINGAPORE - It is the witching hour, and 20 people have gathered at the zoo to work their magic.

All eyes are on senior veterinarian Abraham Mathew, who has in his hands a teaspoon's worth of milky liquid, the fruit of hours of effort.

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