An An, the oldest male giant panda in the world under human care, was euthanized on the morning of July 21 at Ocean Park Hong Kong.
Ocean Park Hong Kong reported that panda An An passed away at the age of 35, which is equivalent to 105 years in human years, according to the South China Morning Post.
Prior to his passing, the panda had refused solid food and was only consuming water or electrolyte-containing fluids.
The park further stated that An An was nearly immobile before his death, and staff made efforts to alleviate his discomfort.
“Unfortunately, but as expected, An An’s condition reached the final stage on July 21,” Ocean Park Hong Kong stated in a press release.
“Veterinarians from the park, along with the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department of Hong Kong, made the difficult decision to euthanize An An after consulting with the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda.”
An An, the oldest male giant panda in the world under human care, passed away on the morning of July 21 at Ocean Park Hong Kong. (Photo: Martin Chan).
The euthanasia was performed at 8:40 AM local time on July 21 at the panda enclosure.
“An An grew up with the park and was an indispensable member of our family,” said Paolo Martelli, the director of Ocean Park Hong Kong.
“An An brought us unforgettable memories filled with countless heartwarming moments. (We) will greatly miss his intelligence and playfulness,” he added.
The park will provide a memorial book around the enclosure for visitors to sign and leave condolences. Internet users can also post their condolences and memories on the park’s Facebook page.
An An was born in Sichuan Province, southwestern China. This panda was brought to Hong Kong in 1999 along with a female panda named Jia Jia. This was a gift from Beijing to the city of Hong Kong. Jia Jia passed away in 2016 at the age of 38.
Ocean Park Hong Kong is currently caring for two other giant pandas, a female named Ying Ying and a male named Le Le.
