World's Oldest Panda Dies in Hong Kong

The world's oldest giant panda in captivity has died.

Jia Jia, who was 38 years old (or 114 in panda years), was put to sleep yesterday evening at her home in Hong Kong's Ocean Park.

The panda's health had rapidly deteriorated over the last two weeks. According to the South China Morning Post, her food consumption dropped from 10kg a day to just 3kg, while her weight dropped from 71kg to 67kg. Previously, she had also been diagnosed with arthritis, high blood pressure and cataracts in both eyes. 

Over the last few weeks, Jia Jia was spending less time awake and began refusing to eat foods or drink fluids. On Sunday morning, she was unable to walk. 

For ethical reasons—namely, to prevent suffering—veterenarians from the park and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department decided to put her to sleep at 6pm.

Jia Jia, whose name meant "Good," was born in the wild 1978. She was rescued from Qingchuan, Sichuan province in 1980 and sent to the Giant Panda Breeding Center at the Wolong Nature Reserve near Chengdu. She was presented to Hong Kong along with another panda, An An, as a gift from the Mainland in 1999.

RIP, Jia Jia.

[Image via BBC]