The well-beloved giant panda Lin Hui, a top draw at Chiang Mai Zoo, passed away on Wednesday morning at the age of 21.
The zoo’s statement revealed that Lin Hui initially displayed peculiar signs on Tuesday, which led to a thorough examination being conducted.
Zoo authorities also sought advice from Chinese specialists, regrettably, despite their best efforts, she died on Wednesday morning.
Later, the zoo disclosed that Lin Hui had experienced a nosebleed on Tuesday and was receiving medical attention when she passed away. Experts from China were en route to assist in determining the precise cause of death.
Born in China on September 28, 2001, Lin Hui’s birthplace was the Giant Panda Research and Conservation Centre in the Wulong Conservation District of Chengdu, Sichuan province. Her parents were the male panda Pan Pan and the female panda Tang Tang.
On October 12, 2003, Lin Hui arrived at Chiang Mai Zoo as a symbol of goodwill between China and Thailand.
She quickly became a crowd favorite, earning a bronze medal for her outstanding personality (panda category) based on global fan votes through the website Giant Panda Zoo.com. Lin Hui was set to return to China this year.
Chiang Mai Zoo marked Lin Hui’s 21st birthday in September of the previous year.
Zoo director Wuthichai Muangman stated that over 7.4 million visitors had come to the zoo since October 2003 to see Lin Hui and Xuang Xuang, the two giant pandas on loan from China.
Xuang Xuang, the male panda, died at Chiang Mai Zoo on September 16, 2019.
Giant pandas generally have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years in the wild and can live up to 30 years in captivity.
