'Bleeding Nose' 21-Year-Old Giant Panda Suddenly Dies Again in Thailand

Sudden Death Six Months Before Returning After Long-Term Stay in China
"No Health Issues... China and Thailand to Conduct Joint Investigation"

A giant panda, which had been living at a zoo in Thailand on a long-term loan from China, suddenly passed away.

According to foreign media such as the Bangkok Post and AP News on the 20th, a 21-year-old female giant panda named 'Linhui' at the Chiang Mai Zoo in northern Thailand died the day before. The zoo stated, "Linhui's condition had been poor since the morning of the 18th, and a nosebleed was observed while she was lying down after eating." In response, veterinary teams from Thailand and China jointly attempted to treat Linhui, but she ultimately could not get back up.

On the 19th, Linhui, the giant panda who died at Chiang Mai Zoo in Thailand
[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

The attending veterinarian said at a press conference, "We checked Linhui's health daily due to her old age, but there were no special signs such as illness." The lifespan of a giant panda is about 15 years in the wild, but it is known to survive 25 to 30 years in zoos, with some cases living up to 38 years. The exact cause of Linhui's death has not yet been determined.

Linhui came to Thailand from China in 2003 along with a male giant panda named Changchang and lived at the Chiang Mai Zoo. Originally, China loaned Linhui and Changchang for 10 years, but the period was later extended by another 10 years. In 2009, a joyous event occurred when a cub named Linping was born through artificial insemination between Linhui and Changchang, but Changchang suddenly died in 2019 at the age of 19.

At the time of Changchang's death, Chinese netizens raised suspicions that the panda might have died due to inadequate care in Thailand, but a joint autopsy by experts from both countries revealed that Changchang died of a heart attack. Many Thais had shown deep love for pandas, even avidly watching the 24-hour live broadcast of the 'Panda Channel' from 2009 to 2012, so Linhui's sudden death following Changchang's was received as a shocking event.

Wang Wenbin, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said, "China is saddened by the death of the giant panda Linhui," adding, "After learning about the panda's condition, we immediately assisted the Thai side through expert video consultations, but unfortunately, we could not save her life." The Chinese Consulate General in Chiang Mai announced that Chinese and Thai experts will conduct a joint investigation to determine Linhui's cause of death as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in February, a male panda named Lele suddenly died of heart disease at the Memphis Zoo in Tennessee, USA, which worsened public opinion in China. The remaining female panda, Yaya, is preparing to return to her home country without renewing the contract.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.