Beloved panda gifted by China to Taiwan dies
TAIPEI: A male giant panda gifted by China to Taiwan as a symbol of warmer ties died yesterday after suffering a spate of seizures, Taipei Zoo said.
“Our medical team has confirmed that Tuan Tuan’s heart stopped beating at 1.48am (05:48 GMT),” the zoo said in a short statement that did not state the cause of death.
A separate statement yesterday said the panda’s condition was “irreversible” and that he could no longer ‘live a quality life’.
Vets first noticed Tuan Tuan, 18, was ill in August, when he began suffering seizures and appeared increasingly unsteady and lethargic.
Medical scans showed he had a brain lesion and he was placed on anti-seizure medication.
The zoo suspected Tuan Tuan had a brain tumour and he was moved into palliative care last month.
Tuan Tuan and his breeding mate Yuan Yuan were given to Taiwan by Beijing in late 2008, at a time when relations between the two were more cordial.
China views Taiwan as part of its territory and has vowed to one day bring the self-ruled democratic island back into the fold, by force if necessary.
In a nod to that goal, the pandas’ names combined mean ‘reunion’ or ‘unity’.
The couple became huge stars in Taiwan and Yuan Yuan has since given birth to two female cubs.