China News Service, April 1. According to the WeChat public account of the China Wildlife Conservation Association, the giant panda "Shuang Shuang" (female, born in September 1995) living in Kobe Oji Zoo, Japan, has been suffering from grade IV heart failure (the most severe form of heart disease) for many years. Severe level), his condition worsened recently, and after many days of rescue efforts by Chinese and Japanese experts, he passed away at 23:56 on March 31, 2024.
In July 2020, the giant panda cooperation agreement signed between China and the Kobe City Government of Japan expired. Affected by the epidemic, both parties have postponed the return date of "Shuang Shuang" to China twice to the end of 2021. On March 3, 2021, "Shuang Shuang" was diagnosed with senile heart disease during a routine examination. China and Japan quickly organized expert teams to conduct joint diagnosis, treatment and meticulous care, and Shuangshuang's condition was alleviated to a certain extent. In order to help "Shuang Shuang" stabilize his condition and recover, and due to the impact of the global epidemic, China and Japan have formulated a strict treatment plan. Both parties have repeatedly postponed the deadline for "Shuang Shuang" to be shipped back to China to avoid worsening of the condition caused by long-distance transportation. .
Since May 2022, China has dispatched five groups of giant panda experts to continue to be stationed in Japan to provide on-the-spot guidance, consultation and treatment. As soon as my country's epidemic situation was lifted in 2023, China sent a special working group to Japan in May to communicate with the Japanese side to evaluate "Shuang Shuang"'s condition, further optimize the diagnosis, treatment and care plan, and research and formulate an emergency treatment contingency plan.
Since March 13, 2024, "Shuang Shuang"'s condition has continued to worsen, and she began to refuse to eat, and even refused to drink water for a time and developed symptoms such as convulsions. Experts from both China and Japan continued to implement all necessary rescue measures. Unfortunately, "Shuang Shuang" died on March 31, 2024 after rescue efforts failed. According to experts, a 29-year-old giant panda is equivalent to a nearly centenarian human being.
"Shuangshuang" was shipped to Kobe Municipal Oji Zoo in Japan on July 16, 2000 for the purpose of jointly carrying out international cooperation research on giant panda conservation between China and Japan. Its arrival has brought hope and joy to the Japanese people who suffered the Great Hanshin Earthquake in 1995. It has also made positive contributions to Sino-Japanese giant panda conservation research, technical exchanges, public education, and friendship between the two peoples.
In the next step, China and Japan will strictly follow the provisions of the cooperation agreement, properly preserve the body of "Shuang Shuang", and transport the specimens of "Shuang Shuang" back to China in a timely manner after professional processing.
The China Wildlife Conservation Association stated that we would like to express our most sincere gratitude to the Chinese and Japanese people who have long cared for and loved the giant panda "Shuang Shuang"!