Giant pandaXinXing dies at 38

Xin Xing, the HONGKONG— giant panda whose age shattered records, lived a life of great appetites.

Borninthewildinasprawling panda sanctuary in China’sSichuanProvince,shewas transferred to the Chongqing Zoo in southwestern China when shewas just a year old.

There, she becameknown for outpacing other pandas with her seemingly bottomless stomach — putting away 70poundsofbambooshoots, leaves and fruit daily.

She gained the distinction of becoming theworld’s oldest panda in captivity. Andas the matriarch of 153 descendantswho have lived around the globe, she was a potent symbolofChina’spandadiplomacy.

OnDec. 8, Xin Xing, whose name means “new star” in Mandarin, died at the age of 38 (the equivalent of at least 110inhumanyears).Thecause was multiple organ failures andother ailments that ledto fatal infections. in her respiratory and digestive tracts, the Chongqing Zoo said in a statement Monday.

Foragiantpandadescribed by her longtime caretaker as bad-tempered and aggressive, Xin Xing achieved several feats in life.

Fewer than 30 pandas in captivity have lived beyond the age of 30. (Wild pandas have even shorter life spans — 14 to 20 years.) Xin Xing broke that barrier.

Giant pandas also have a low success rate with breeding in captivity. Females ovulate only once a year, in the spring and can conceive for onlyaroundonetothreedays during this time. Thewindow issmall. Successisnotcertain.

ButXinXinggavebirthtoat least 10 cubs, according to the Chinesenewsmedia, helping to spawn progeny that have lived in Canada, Taiwan and the United States.