The world’s oldest captive male panda bear has died: An An was due to be euthanized Thursday at the age of 35, according to the Hong Kong Zoo. His age was the equivalent of 105 human years.
An An was born in the wild in the Chinese province of Sichuan. In 1999, Hong Kong received An An and his partner Jia Jia as a gift on the occasion of the second anniversary of the return of the former British Crown Colony to the People’s Republic. Jia Jia died in 2016 at the age of 38 – her age had previously earned her an entry in the Guinness Book of World Records. In the wild, giant pandas only live 14 to 20 years.
condition deteriorated quickly
An An spent his 35th birthday alone with a fruit and bamboo ice cream cake. In recent weeks his condition has deteriorated, eventually he had hardly any appetite and he hardly moved. He was finally euthanized on Thursday morning in consultation with Chinese experts, the Ocean Park said.
Big condolences
News of An An’s loss of appetite last week had sparked a lot of sympathy among people in China’s special administrative region, even Prime Minister John Lee called the zoo to express his concern.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
