Jia Jia, the world’s oldest-ever captive panda, dies at 38

A Hong Kong theme park says the world’s oldest-ever panda in captivity has been euthanized because her health was deteriorating. Ocean Park says a veterinarian euthanized 38-year-old Jia Jia on Sunday evening to prevent further suffering and for ethical reasons.

Jia Jia was a member of their family who had spent 17 wonderful years with Hong Kong people, and she will be deeply missed.

Leo Kung Lin-cheng, Ocean Park spokesperson

Guinness World Records recognized Jia Jia as the oldest giant panda to live in captivity. The average lifespan for a panda in the wild is 18 to 20 years, while in captivity it’s 30 years, according to Guinness. Born in the wild, Jia Jia was taken to live at a breeding center in China’s Sichuan province in 1980, when she was around 2. She and another panda were given to Hong Kong as a gift from Beijing in 1999, two years after China took control of the city from Britain.

Asia-Pacific