37-year-old Basi, the world’s oldest Giant Panda has died in China on Wednesday, the 13th of September 2017.
The beloved Panda lived for more than ‘100-human-years’, explain the The Straits Giant Panda Research and Exchange Center in southeastern China.
Basi had lived at the Center for the last 33-years of her life, and the team announced a statement:
“With a heavy heart, we solemnly announce today that the original model of ‘Pan Pan’, the mascot for the first Asian Games (in China, 1990), and an angel of friendship both at home and abroad, giant panda star Basi died at 8:50am on September 13, 2017 at the age of 37.”
The average lifespan for a panda in the wild is 20-years, though of course, pandas in captivity usually live slightly longer.
Basi was no ordinary panda, in fact, she was more than a bit of a celebrity – her skills included bike riding and even slam dunking a ball, which made her the perfect mascot for the 1990 Asian Games in Beijing.
Even more heart breaking than this news itself is the fact the giant panda’s death comes just one year after the death of her long term (27-years) keeper, Shi Feining.
She will be missed by many around the world.
