Very sad news today, as Jia Jia believed to have been the oldest living panda ever in captivity, has died at the age of 38.
Jia Jia was euthanized at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park to prevent suffering. Jia Jia lived a life in captivity ever since 1999.
Jia Jia was born in the wild in Sichuan, China in 1978, although little is known of how she was taken from the wild. Jia Jia was given to Hong Kong as a gift in 1999 to mark the city’s handover by Britain. She then spent the rest of her life in captivity.
She was stuggeling with old age and in the last couple of weeks lost her appetite, vets said.
“She was a member of our family and she will be deeply missed… she has served as an important animal ambassador for her species,” the park said in a statement.
“Her condition became worse this morning. Jia Jia was not able to walk about without difficulties and spent the day laying down.”
Pandas are a critially endangered species with very few remaining in the wild. There are many conservation programs in China and around the word to protect them from extinction.
For More Information On How You Can Help Visit: https://www.pandasinternational.org
