CHIANG MAI, Sept 17 (TNA) – Chinese experts will jointly perform an autopsy on the 19-year-old male giant panda, Chuang Chuang after it died of an unknown cause at Chiang Mai zoo.
Chiang Mai Zoo Director, Wutthichai Muangmun said Chuang Chuang died at 4.30 pm. yesterday at the environment- controlled exhibition zone after eating bamboo. CCTV camera showed the giant panda fell down and lay still.
Zoo officials tried to resuscitate it but despite the best effort, it did not regain consciousness and was declared dead.
The carcass of the giant panda was moved to the small animal hospital of Faculty of Veterinarian Medicine, Chiang Mai University but the cause of its death cannot be determined.
Thailand will wait for Chinese experts to jointly perform the autopsy in accordance with the bilateral agreement. The date has not been fixed but it will be done as soon as possible, he said.
The Zoological Park Organization has already informed the Chinese embassy about the death of Chuang Chuang.
The zoo celebrated Chang Chuang’s birthday in August with a special cake made of sweetened ice, fruit and bamboo shoots.
Chuang Chuang and a female giant panda Lin Hui from China’s Sichuan province have been on loan to Thailand by the Chinese government as goodwill ambassadors, since 2003 on a ten-year contract, extended in 2014 and will expire 2023. The giant panda couple are the drawing cards, attracting visitors to the zoo.
The normal life span of a giant panda is 14-20 years in the wild, and more in captivity. (TNA)
