Sick male panda taken off display at Edinburgh Zoo By Angie Brown

BBC Scotland, Edinburgh and East reporter Published duration 12 January 2012

media caption Edinburgh Zoo's male giant panda Yang Guang is taken off public display just weeks after arriving in Scotland

Edinburgh Zoo's male Giant panda has been taken off public display suffering from colic, the BBC has learned.

Yang Guang will only appear occasionally over the next few weeks while he recovers from the illness which is also common in young babies.

Tian Tian and Yang Guang - the first giant pandas to live in the UK for 17 years - arrived at Edinburgh Zoo just over a month ago.

The eight-year-old breeding pair will stay in the capital for 10 years.

It is hoped they will eventually produce cubs.

Yang Guang's indoor enclosure has been closed so he can recover in peace. He may be seen occasionally in his outdoor enclosure.

'Some discomfort'

Iain Valentine, director of research and conservation at Edinburgh Zoo, told the BBC Scotland news website : "Yang Guang is not on show today as he has an episode of colic.

"It's not very serious but can cause some discomfort.

"He's on medication to relieve this and we're mainly keeping him relaxed and indoors, although we expect he will go out sometimes to stretch his legs.

"These episodes can sometimes last up to a couple of weeks, so he may not always be on show over the next week or so.

"Alison, our panda team leader, and the veterinary department are keeping a close eye on him.

"Having discussed this with our colleagues in China, they reassure us this is not uncommon in pandas.