HONG KONG: The oldest-ever male giant panda in captivity has died at age 35 at a Hong Kong theme park after his health deteriorated.
An An lived most of his life at Ocean Park after he and a female panda were gifted to Hong Kong by China in 1999. The female panda, Jia Jia, died in 2016 at age 38, making her the oldest-ever female panda in captivity.
Ocean Park mourned An An as a family member who grew with the park and built bonds with locals and tourists.
“An An has brought us fond memories with numerous heart-warming moments. His cleverness and playfulness will be dearly missed,” Paulo Pong, chairman of Ocean Park Corporation, said in a statement.
An An had high blood pressure, a common condition among geriatric pandas. Over the past three weeks, An An had been kept out of sight from visitors at the park as his health worsened. He stopped eating solid food and was significantly less active in recent days.
Last week, hundreds left comments on an Ocean Park post about An An’s condition, wishing him a speedy recovery.
He was euthanized to prevent further suffering Thursday morning after veterinarians from Ocean Park and government authorities consulted the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Ocean Park said.
“An An lived a full life that ended at the respectable age of 35 – the equivalent of 105 years in human age,” the statement read.
Hong Kong was given another panda pair — Ying Ying, a female, and a male, Le Le — in 2007 to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the city’s return to China.
China commonly engages in “panda diplomacy” where the mammals exclusively found in China are leased to other countries as a sign of goodwill.
An An, world’s oldest male giant panda, dies at age 35 in Hong Kong
https://arab.news/4pt93
An An, world’s oldest male giant panda, dies at age 35 in Hong Kong
- An An lived most of his life at Ocean Park after he and a female panda were gifted to Hong Kong by China in 1999
Essex man takes on charity endurance challenge for children in Gaza
- Mark Watson, 63, is undertaking a “virtual Sumud” journey from his Essex home town in Harlow to Gaza, covering 2,287 miles
LONDON: A man in England has launched a demanding charity challenge to raise funds for children affected by the war in Gaza.
Mark Watson, 63, is undertaking a “virtual sumud” journey from his Essex home town in Harlow to Gaza, covering 3,680 km running, walking, swimming, cycling and rowing.
He is raising money for Medical Aid for Palestinians, a UK-based humanitarian organization that provides healthcare to Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories.
“I have felt helpless day after day seeing images of countless children in Gaza with broken bodies and missing limbs and witnessing their unbearable suffering,” Watson said on his JustGiving page.
“I have been inspired by the courage of those who took part in the global sumud flotilla and all of the activists who have put their lives and freedom at risk supporting the Palestinian people and so I am raising funds for Medical Aid for Palestinians.
“My challenge is to complete a virtual sumud from Harlow, where I live, to Gaza. Running, walking, swimming, cycling and rowing I will cover the 2,287 miles as quickly as I can.
“I am an unfit, overweight 63-year-old, so I’m not going to break any records, but the Arabic word Sumud means steadfastness and perseverance, and I will give it my all.
Watson added: “I hope to be joined by people I love and admire along the way, so please support my fundraiser. Every donation, however small, will help save the lives of Palestinians.”
As of Jan. 3, his fundraising effort had reached 12 per cent of its £5,000 ($6,733) target.
The war in Gaza began after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on southern Israel, in which about 1,200 people were killed and more than 200 taken hostage, according to Israeli authorities.
Israel responded with a large-scale military campaign in Gaza, which local health authorities say has resulted in the deaths of more than 71,000 Palestinians, widespread destruction of civilian infrastructure and a severe humanitarian crisis.
International aid agencies have repeatedly said that children are among the most affected, facing injury, displacement, malnutrition and limited access to medical care.
Watson said he was inspired by activists and humanitarian efforts supporting Palestinians and hopes his challenge can make a small contribution to saving lives.
