Mystery Solved: Thailand Zoo Finds Out Reason Behind Well-Known Panda's Death

(Photo : Pixabay)

Thailand's well-known giant panda Chuang Chuang passed away due to cardiovascular failure, the National Forestry and Grassland Administration declared.

The result was confirmed by specialists in China and Thailand, according to the declaration released by the organization on its Weibo account.

"There is no trauma on Chuang Chuang's body, and the panda had chronic heart failure before the attack, which resulted in alack of oxygen," the announcement read.

Chuang Chuang surprisingly passed away at 19 years old in Chiang Mai Zoo in the city of Chiang Mai, as per an official declaration released by the zoo.

Zoo chief Wutthichai Muangmun said Chuang Chuang spent his remaining hours of his life eating bamboo. He added that Chuang Chuang staggered and fell to the ground after walking around.

Chuang Chuang and his partner Lin Hui—presently Thailand's well-loved panda—were on loan to Thailand from China since 2003. Lin Hui conceived an offspring in 2009, and the baby panda was returned back to China.

Chuang Chuang's unexpected death sparked sorrow among Thai fans and an objection on Chinese social media. A hashtag appearing to blame Thailand for the situation was seen 250 million times in Weibo.

The Chiang Mai Zoo said any theory in China that Chuang Chuang—who was known for being obese—may have passed on because of assaults, overfeeding, and neglect had proved unwanted.

In a statement, the autopsy by Chinese–Thai experts showed good nutrition health of Chuang Chuang. No external wounds and foreign objects were found in his trachea, they added.

The autopsy added that Chuang Chuang's heart failure resulted in the lack of oxygen flow in his internal organs, which led to his death.

The zoo affirmed that Thailand would, in any case, pay to Beijing as laid out in the loan agreement. The amount which they would be paying was unspecified. According to the zoo officials, Lin Hui would remain at the zoo for now.

Chuang Chuang and Lin Hui were Thailand celebrities, with media broadly covering their love life—including their "wedding" in 2005. Their relationship likewise became a source of public attraction as attempts were made to get the pair to mate.

Chuang Chuang was put on a diet in 2007 when the zoo was attempting to encourage him and Lin Hui to conceive and have a baby. 

The zoo even turned to "panda pornography" videos of different mating pandas to encourage Chuang Chuang to have a baby. Lin Hui conceived through artificial insemination.

After Lin Hui conceived an offspring in 2009, their posterity was included on a 24-hour "Panda Channel" that appeared on a Thai TV program.

According to the World Wildlife Fund for nature, giant panda's life expectancy lasts from 15 to 20 years in the wild but can reach the age of 30 years in captivity.

Giant pandas were once viewed as endangered. But soon, they are now considered as vulnerable species in 2016 due to the time and effort in perfecting breeding methods—given that female pandas are only sexually receptive just once a year for only 24 to 72 hours.