The world’s oldest panda in captivity has been put down at the Hong Kong theme park where she lived, because her health had deteriorated. Ocean Park said a veterinarian euthanised 38-year-old Jia Jia on Sunday to prevent further suffering and for ethical reasons. Guinness World Records recognised Jia Jia as the oldest giant panda to live in captivity. Born in the wild, Jia Jia was taken at a wildlife reserve’s breeding centre in Sichuan province, central China, in 1980, when she was about two. Jia Jia had shown signs of poor health in old age, including high blood pressure and arthritis, which required regular medication.

Source: The Guardian October 16, 2016 16:20 UTC