CHIANG MAI: Lin Hui had suffered a nosebleed and was under medical care when the 21-year-old female giant panda died in the early hours of Wednesday, Chiang Mai Zoo management said.
The exact cause of her death was awaiting the arrival of Chinese experts, who would jointly conduct the post-mortem examination.
Executives of the Zoological Park Organisation of Thailand (ZPO), Chiang Mai Zoo and other agencies gathered to release more details on Wednesday of the death of giant panda Lin Hui.
Chiang Mai Zoo director Wuthichai Muangman said he received a report from the zoo’s panda research team around 11am on Tuesday that Lin Hui developed a nosebleed while in the exhibition zone. He immediately reported the symptoms to ZPO director Atthaporn Srihiran and closed the exhibition zone. Lin Hui was taken for immediate medical treatment.
The ZPO ordered Chiang Mai Zoo to notify the China Wildlife Conservation Association (CWCA) in Beijing. The CWCA advised the zoo to consult the Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Pandas (CCRCGP) in Chengdu.
The zoo also reported Lin Hui's condition to the Chinese consulate-general in Chiang Mai. Chinese officials arrived at the zoo and coordinated with panda experts in Chengdu, using Wechat online.
About 1am on Wednesday, Lin Hui had a seizure. A team of veterinarians provided treatment under the guidance of Chinese experts. Around 1.10am, the giant panda died peacefully, the Chiang Mai zoo director said.
ZPO chairman Detboon Mapraert said they were all deeply saddened by the loss of Lin Hui.
They were awaiting arrival of Chinese experts to jointly conduct a post-mortem examination and establish the exact cause of her death, Mr Detboon said.
Veternarian Thewarat Vetmanat said Lin Hui had entered old age but had been in good health and was eating normally. Vets conducted health checks every day.
The panda showed no sign of illness before she had a nosebleed, said Mr Thewarat, acting head of animal health at the zoo.
He rejected social media speculation that Chiang Mai' s horrendous smog pollution might have caused her death. He said Lin Hui lived in an air-conditioned enclosure.
Lin Hui was in Thailand under a loan programme as a goodwill ambassador and was due to be returned to China later this year. She was born in China on Sept 28, 2001, at the Giant Panda Research and Conservation centre, Wulong Conservation district in Chengdu, Sichuan province. Her parents were the male panda Pan Pan and female panda Tang Tang. She arrived at Chiang Mai zoo in October 2003.
Visitors ariving at the zoo on Wednesday were saddened on learning of her sudden death. She was the zoo's star attraction