- Aged 35, the equivalent of 105 human years, the centenarian panda has been kept out of visitors’ sight because of health issues
- An An arrived in Hong Kong in 1999 along with female companion Jia Jia as a gift from Beijing to the city
A Facebook photo of An An at Ocean Park, the world’s oldest male giant panda under human care. Photo: HandoutAn An, the world’s oldest male giant panda under human care, has lost its appetite and is in low spirits, according to Hong Kong’s Ocean Park.
Aged 35, the equivalent of 105 human years, the beloved animal has been kept out of visitors’ sight over the past fortnight because of health issues.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday, the park said its “centenarian panda friend” had poor appetite and could not “say hi to fans”, adding: “Let’s leave our blessing in the comment box below, or leave a ‘heart’ emoji to wish him a speedy recovery.”
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The post has since attracted the attention of more than 2,500 online users and over 500 comments, with many people saying “add oil”, a Cantonese expression of support.
The animal, born in Sichuan province in southwestern China, arrived in Hong Kong in 1999 along with a female giant panda named Jia Jia as a gift from Beijing to the city. The latter died in 2016, aged 38.
There are two other giant pandas at the park, female Ying Ying and male Le Le, gifts from the central government in 2007 to celebrate the city’s 10th anniversary of its return to Chinese rule. The pair have yet to produce any babies despite years of mating attempts.