An An, the world's oldest male giant panda in captivity, has died at the age of
35
in Ocean Park in the semi-autonomous city of Hong Kong.
The theme park announced that the animal,
whose age would be equivalent to 105 human years
, was euthanized after its health deteriorated in recent weeks.
"Unfortunately, but as expected, An An's condition came to an end
on July 21, 2022
," Ocean Park reported in a press release.
During the last days, in which
he refused to eat solid food
and only drank water or liquids with electrolytes, the panda was mostly inactive and the park staff had to provide him with medical attention to alleviate his discomfort.
A bouquet of flowers in memory of panda bear An An.Kin CheungAP
"An An has brought us fond memories with numerous heartwarming moments.
His intelligence and playful nature
will be sorely missed ," Ocean Park Corporation President Paulo Pong said in the statement.
An An lived most of his life in the theme park after he and his companion, the panda Jia Jia, were gifted to Hong Kong
by China in 1999
as part of the Chinese government's panda diplomacy. this 2022 turns 50 years old.
Jia Jia, meanwhile,
passed away at the age of 38 in 2016
, making her the oldest female panda ever in captivity to date.
Conforms to The Trust Project criteria
Know more