“An An”, a bamboo-eating resident of Hong Kong’s Ocean Park who was known for his feisty, playful nature passed away on Thursday July 21, 2022. This resident had the distinction of being the world’s oldest giant male panda in captivity. He was 35 panda years-old or 105 in human years.

The panda had struggled for weeks with food intake and physical activity, leading park officials, veterinarians and the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda to put him down. In the last few days of his life, An An was refusing solid foods and becoming more sedentary, officials said.

He consumed only water and electrolytes, and his diet went far from the daily intake of 30 pounds of bamboo that giant pandas normally eat. The life spans of pandas in the wild typically fall between 14 and 20 years. Pandas in captivity rarely make it beyond 30. But there are exceptions.

In 2020, Xin Xing, a giant panda who resided at Chongqing Zoo in southwestern China and was famous for scarfing down up to 70 pounds of food daily, died at 38. One year for pandas is equivalent to roughly three for humans, according to an Ocean Park conversion.

An An died at age 35 which means he surpassed the 30-year mark. Hopefully during his long life, he experiences lots of fun and happiness.