The oldest male giant panda in captivity on record has died in Hong Kong at the age of 35. Previously, the health of the animal, named An An, had deteriorated. He was euthanized Thursday morning to spare him further suffering, according to Ocean Park, where the giant panda spent most of his life. Previously, the park and Hong Kong authorities had consulted the China Giant Panda Conservation and Research Center, it said.
An and a female were given to the Chinese city and special administrative region by China in 1999. The female, Jia Jia, died in 2016 at the age of 38 - becoming the oldest female giant panda in captivity ever.
The amusement park mourned An An as a family member who forged bonds with locals and tourists. “An An has given us fond memories with numerous heartwarming moments. We will greatly miss his cleverness and playfulness," said Paulo Pong, chairman of Ocean Park Corporation, in a statement. An An lived a full life, ending at the respectable age of 35, which is the equivalent of 105 human years, it said.
The average lifespan for a panda in the wild is 18 to 20 years, while many captive animals live in their 30s.
An An suffered from high blood pressure, which is common in old pandas. For the past three weeks, An An has been kept out of sight of visitors because of his deteriorating health. He stopped eating solid food and has recently been significantly less active.
Hong Kong received another panda pair - female Ying Ying and male Le Le - on the tenth anniversary of its return to China from the People's Republic in 2007.
