Jump to content

Chinese experts to probe panda Chuang Chuang's death in Thai zoo


snoop1130

Recommended Posts

Chinese experts to probe panda Chuang Chuang's death in Thai zoo

 

8965.PNG

Zoo workers lay flowers at a Panda statue days after the 19-year-old panda Chuang Chuang died at the Chiang Mai zoo, Chiang Mai, Thailand, September 18, 2019. Dailynews/ via REUTERS

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Animal experts from China are to arrive at a Thai zoo on Thursday to investigate the unexpected death of a giant panda in the northern city of Chiang Mai, Thai officials said.

 

Photos on Wednesday showed Thai mourners and zoo staff laying flowers near the empty enclosure of Chuang Chuang at age 19 at the Chiang Mai Zoo.

 

“We loved and nurtured him so much. I hope everyone will miss him like we do,” zoo keeper Kannikar Chantarangsi told reporters on Tuesday.

The cause of death has not been released. Pandas generally live 14-20 years in the wild but can live up to 20 years in captivity, according to the WWF animal welfare organisation.

 

“The Chiang Mai Zoo will wait for experts from China to arrive. All the relevant Chinese agencies have been informed and we will conduct the autopsy together,” Wuttichai Muangmun, director of Chiang Mai Zoo told reporters.

 

A zoo official told Reuters the Chinese experts would arrive on Thursday. A statement from China’s consulate in Chiang Mai from Monday said experts from the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda had been dispatched.

 

The death has caused a stir in Chuang Chuang’s native China, where a hashtag about the death drew 250 million views on social media site Weibo and some Chinese users blamed the Thai zoo.

 

“No more pandas for Thailand,” wrote one Weibo comment.

 

Chuang Chuang and his partner Lin Hui - now Thailand’s only remaining panda - were celebrities in Thailand after Lin Hui gave birth in 2009. Baby pandas are rarely born in captivity and the animal was eventually returned to China.

 

Lin Hui conceived through artificial insemination after Chuang Chuang failed to impregnate her, despite being shown videos dubbed “panda porn” meant to encourage them to mate.

 

Pandas are famously difficult to breed in captivity.

 

The pair have been on loan to Thailand since 2003.

 

They were “married” in November 2005 at a traditional Chinese wedding ceremony overseen by a Chinese diplomat to mark the zoo’s 28th birthday.

 

reuters_logo.jpg

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-18
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The hashtag for this had 250 million views in China. That's more than 3X the population of Thailand. They take this pretty seriously - probably right up there with killing 49 people on a boat in Phuket. There goes that Chinese Tourist trade again - guess it's time for another massive Sticky Rice and Mango feast.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, leeneeds said:

Freedom should be a right for all animals, if humans want to see them go to the country where they live, barbaric exploitation that humans are so adept at.

Thanks for your post .

I wish that more people would think like you .

 

best regards

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, White Christmas13 said:
How long do giant pandas live in captivity?
The cubs begin to eat bamboo when they are a year old. Lifespan: The average life expectancy of wild giant pandas is 15-20 years while the captive ones can live up to 30 years. Currently, the record age for a captive one is 38 years.

Thx, now I understand the fuzz ... 11 year premature death.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If Thailand would only pay as much attention to its own people at the bottom of the society ladder ............. like free, unbiased education, proper irrigation etc. 

I find Pandas great animals but they dont belong into zoos and certainly not into a (climatically hot) Thai zoo ........ 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, Sydebolle said:

If Thailand would only pay as much attention to its own people at the bottom of the society ladder ............. like free, unbiased education, proper irrigation etc. 

I find Pandas great animals but they dont belong into zoos and certainly not into a (climatically hot) Thai zoo ........ 

If you ever visited the pandas at the CM Zoo, you would have found they had very nice accommodations that were kept cool and humid -- just the way pandas like their weather.  You pay extra to see the pandas at the zoo and, to me, it is well worth it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Panda autopsy preparations at Thai zoo as Chinese experts arrive

By Sakul and Kittiwongprom

 

2019-09-19T123836Z_1_LYNXMPEF8I13C_RTROPTP_4_THAILAND-PANDA.JPG

A woman places pictures on a board days after the 19-year-old panda Chuang Chuang died at the Chiang Mai zoo, Chiang Mai, Thailand, September 19, 2019. Dailynews/ via REUTERS

 

CHIANG MAI, Thailand (Reuters) - Chinese panda experts and Thai officials on Thursday began preparing for an autopsy of beloved giant panda Chuang Chuang, who died unexpectedly this week at the Chiang Mai Zoo in northern Thailand while on loan from Beijing.

 

The death of 19-year-old Chuang Chuang sparked mourning among Thai fans and an outcry on Chinese social media, where a hashtag seeming to blame Thailand was viewed 250 million times.

 

Zoo officials said there had been little sign Chuang Chuang was suffering health problems before his death on Monday. Pandas generally live 14-20 years in the wild but can live up to 30 years in captivity.

 

The autopsy should take no more than seven days and then Chuang Chuang's body would go to China as per an agreement with Beijing, said Sumet Kamolnoranat, deputy director of the Zoological Park Organisation.

 

"A working team between Chinese and Thai officials has been formed and their progress will be notified in future updates,” a statement from the Thai zoo on Thursday said.

 

Chinese and Thai officials were also discussing whether Chuang Chuang's mate, Lin Hui - the only remaining panda in Thailand - should be returned to China, a Chinese official said.

 

"For Lin Hui, I understand that there are some concerns about her being alone and her loneliness. We have to talk about this later," said Ren Yisheng, the Chinese Consul General in Chiang Mai.

 

The panda pair, on loan from China since 2003, were celebrities in Thailand after Lin Hui gave birth in 2009. Baby pandas are rarely born in captivity and the offspring was eventually returned to China.

 

Lin Hui conceived through artificial insemination after Chuang Chuang failed to impregnate her, despite being shown videos dubbed "panda porn" meant to encourage them to mate.

 

Pandas are famously difficult to breed in captivity.

 

On Thursday, Thai tourists at the zoo expressed sorrow.

 

"I felt sad once I knew about his death. Today, when I saw the area where he used to stay make me feel horrible," said visitor Kanchana Anatasomboon.

 

Bangkok resident Supatra Saraneeyatham, on his first visit to Chiang Mai, said: "I'm here with my sister and she almost cried once we saw Lin Hui alone inside."

 

(Writing by Kay Johnson; editing by Anna Willard)

 

 

reuters_logo.jpg

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-09-20
Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

What killed it, the constant smog probably..................

More likely old age.

 

Quote

Pandas generally live 14-20 years in the wild but can live up to 20 years in captivity, according to the WWF animal welfare organisation.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Zoo officials said there had been little sign Chuang Chuang was suffering health problems before his death on Monday. Pandas generally live 14-20 years in the wild but can live up to 30 years in captivity.

There seems to be some confusion between the relevant officials - Zoo & WWF.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.




×
×
  • Create New...