The world says goodbye to An An, the world’s oldest captive male giant panda, who had to be euthanized at 35 years old due to deteriorating health. An An was cared for at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, where he first arrived in 1999, and lived to a respectable age for a panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca), which live between 14 and 20 years in the wild.
“Ocean Park is deeply saddened to announce the death of An An, the world’s longest-living male giant panda in human care, on July 21, 2022,” Ocean Park Hong Kong said in a statement. “An An lived a full life that ended at the respectable age of 35 – the human equivalent of 105 years.”
Jia Jia, the world’s oldest female captive panda, lived to be 38 years old before passing away in 2016. She and An An were both gifts from the Chinese government and arrived at the park together.
“We are truly grateful for the opportunity to care for Jia Jia and An An over the years so that the Park could develop into an important base for panda conservation,” Ocean Park Corporation Chairman Paulo Pong said in a statement. “As Ocean Park’s ambassadors, this long-living panda duo has supported the Park’s efforts to promote nature and ecosystems to visitors since their arrival in 1999.”
“An An is an indispensable member of our family who has grown alongside the Park… [He] has provided us with numerous heartwarming memories. His wit and sense of humour will be sorely missed.”
“I am grateful to the Park’s animal and veterinary teams for watching over An An 24 hours a day, seven days a week during his final hours.” We are confident that the Park’s visitors will join us in paying our final tribute to our beloved An An…”
[H/T: Reuters]
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