Dai Li - Giant panda passes away due to old age

Giant panda Dai Li passed away on August 12 due to old age, accompanied by heart disease and multiple organ failure, according to messages released by the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda on Monday.

Male giant panda Dai Li was rescued in February 2001 in the wild in Baoxing county, Ya'an, Sichuan province. It is estimated that it was born in 1999.

When rescued, Dai Li had a severe injury and infection in his left hind leg. After being taken to Sichuan Agricultural University for consultation, the left hind leg was amputated. After recovering, he lived at the center's Ya'an Base and then the Dujiangyan Base, where his physical condition remained good, according to the center.

Experts at the center mention that giant pandas enter their elderly stage after the age of about 20, and Dai Li's health gradually declined after entering this stage.

Since July, Dai Li's appetite has gone bad. Veterinarians conducted a comprehensive diagnosis and treatment on Dai Li, and the caregivers supplemented its nutrition by making liquid feed to increase its food intake. However, ultimately, Dai Li passed away on August 12.

Based on clinical manifestations and autopsy, the preliminary assessment indicates that the cause of death was old age accompanied by heart disease and multiple organ failure, according to the center.

Both the veterinarians and caregivers expressed their sadness over Dai Li's passing. They recalled Dai Li as having a good temperament, caring for other pandas in the surrounding enclosures, and enjoying interacting with the caregivers during feeding.

Dai Li was adopted by Chinese-American singer-actor Christian Rand Phillips and supported financially by Phillips during his lifetime. On Monday, Phillips posted on social media (Weibo) to commemorate Dai Li and thanked the caregivers at the panda center for taking care of Dai Li for over 20 years.