Veterinarians have tried pornography, diets and artificial insemination, but Thailand's famously celibate giant pandas have once again failed to produce a cub, a zoo official said.
Lin Hui, the six-year-old female, received semen from her companion Chuang Chuang in April after the pair showed no interest whatsoever in reproducing the traditional way.
But an ultrasound carried out on Lin Hui at a zoo in the northern city of Chiang Mai on Thursday showed she was still not pregnant.
"We will have to try again next April, since pandas are ready for reproduction once-a-year only," said Prasertsak Buntragulpoontawee, panda project director at Chiang Mai zoo.
Thailand's popular panda pair arrived on a 10-year loan from China in 2003, and were put on an intensive mating course last year.
Seven-year-old Chuang Chuang, who had been deemed too heavy to mate with Lin Hui, lost seven kilograms on a low-carbohydrate diet, and was then shown 15-minute video clips of successful panda couplings.
But the sexy videos did little to inspire the pair, prompting veterinarians to try sperm donation.
Prasertsak said artificial insemination may have failed because Lin Hui was not physically ready, or the male sperm was unhealthy.
It means rotund Chuang Chuang may again have to slim down. Prasertsak said the ideal panda weight was about 120 kilograms - 17 kilograms less than Chuang Chuang weighs now.
Giant pandas, notorious for their low sex drive, are among the world's most endangered animals. Nearly 1,600 pandas are believed to survive in the wild in China and about 180 are being raised in captivity in zoos worldwide.
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