Giant panda on loan from China dies suddenly in Thailand

A giant panda on a long-term loan from China has died in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai Zoo, officials said. Lin Hui's death comes six months before her scheduled return to her native habitat in China. A spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed sadness over the news of her passing. Officials had been preparing to perform an autopsy; however, according to the agreement between the zoo and the Chinese government’s panda conservation project, the procedure is prohibited until a Chinese expert is present.

Lin Hui, who arrived in Thailand alongside her partner Chuang Chuang in 2003, both on a 10-year loan that was later extended, gave birth to their daughter, Lin Ping, through artificial insemination. The breeding efforts were celebrated as a crucial step towards preserving a valuable species that continues to be threatened by loss of habitat and human activities.

Sadly, this is not the only recent tragedy involving pandas on loan. In February 2023, Le Le, a resident at Tennessee’s Memphis Zoo also passed away. Necropsy reports revealed heart disease as the cause of death. Following Le Le’s death, some activists and animal welfare advocates raised concerns about Ya Ya, his companion remaining in captivity to date with fur abnormalities and signs of being undernourished. Some even accused the zoo of mistreating the pandas, an allegation dismissed by officials.

The issue has created tension between the US and China, with media outlets such as the nationalist Global Times lamenting the poor state of relations between the two countries affecting even one of China’s most beloved animals. However, discussions regarding returning pandas are nothing new. A female giant panda named Ya Yun was successfully reintroduced into the wild in southern Sichuan province last year after being bred in captivity.

It is not yet clear whether any political repercussions will follow Lin Hui’s sudden passing. However, it highlights how delicate and precarious the balance between captive breeding programs and conservation is, with many zoos dedicating resources towards increasing awareness and support for the threatened species. While China remains committed to loaning pandas internationally as part of its panda diplomacy efforts, it is also increasingly focused on protecting and preserving the habitat that will allow them to thrive in their natural surroundings.