Popular panda Chuang Chuang on loan from China dies in Thai zoo
- The 19-year-old panda collapsed on Monday in his enclosure in the Chiang Mai Zoo soon after standing up following a meal of bamboo leaves
Chuang Chuang collapsed on Monday in his enclosure soon after standing up following a meal of bamboo leaves, said Wutthichai Muangmun, the director of the Chiang Mai Zoo.
Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, zoo staff said they found no sign of illness or injury on the 19-year-old panda’s body, and that he had recently passed a health check-up.
Kannikar Nimtrakul, the zoo veterinary surgeon who oversees the panda enclosure, said the animals have a life expectancy of 14-20 years.
Chuang Chuang and his female mate, Lin Hui, arrived in Chiang Mai in 2003 on a 10-year loan that was later extended for another 10 years. While the loan was ostensibly for research and conservation purposes, it was generally regarded as an act of friendship by China, which has sent pandas to many countries.