Giant panda Ai Hin, not pictured, may have faked her own pregnancy

The planned first ever live-broadcast of a panda giving birth has been cancelled amid claims the expectant mother faked her pregnancy.

Giant panda Ai Hin may have tricked staff at a breeding centre in China to receive more pampering and extra food rations, according to AFP.

The six-year-old had shown signs of pregnancy last month, according to staff at the Chengdu Breeding Research Centre, in China's southwestern province of Sichuana.

But shortly after being moved to a single room with air conditioning and around-the-clock care her “behaviour and physiological indexes returned to normal”.

Experts believe Ai Hin was enjoying the extra attention and additional treats before staff realised she wasn’t actually pregnant.

"They receive more buns, fruits and bamboo, so some clever pandas have used this to their advantage to improve their quality of life," said Wu Kongju, an employee at the panda base.

Many bears continue to display pregnant behaviour after noticing the difference in treatment they receive, according to state news agency Xinhua.

China’s giant panda population is under threat due to a loss of habitat and their notoriously low reproductive rate.