World’s oldest male giant panda dies at age 35 in Hong Kong

By ZEN SOO
Associated Press

HONG KONG (AP) — The oldest-ever male giant panda in captivity has died at age 35 after his health deteriorated. An An lived most of his life at a Hong Kong theme park after he and a female panda were gifted to Hong Kong by China in 1999. Jia Jia died in 2016 at age 38, making her the oldest-ever panda in captivity. Ocean Park mourned An An as a family member who built bonds with locals and tourists and said his cleverness and playfulness would be missed. He had been kept from sight of park visitors in recent weeks as his health worsened. An An was euthanized to prevent further suffering Thursday after veterinarians consulted with China’s panda conservation center.