Once captive pandas reach their 20s, they usually stop breeding or are considered ‘geriatric’ which means they are prone to a number of health problems, one being high blood pressure which An An suffered in the final moments of his life.
According to Ocean Park, before his death An An had eaten less and slept more. On July 17, An An stopped eating solid food and only drank water containing electrolytes.
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A few weeks after An An’s health deteriorated rapidly and a team of veterinarians and panda conservationists decided to euthanize it to prevent further suffering.
Ocean Park is still caring for two other pandas, a female named Ying Ying and a male named Le Le who is now 16 years old. The panda couple were gifted to Ocean Park in 2007 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China. (un)