China's first artificial bred Pallas's cat dies

(ECNS) -- China's first artificial bred Pallas's cat Sun Daniang, died of pyometria at the age of three in Qinghao last Sunday, according to the Qinghai-Xizang plateau wild zoo.

Born on May 7, 2021 to her mother Sun Shangxiang and father Sun Simiao, Sun Daniang attracted a lot of attentions from across China.

As a wild cat species with a history of 6.5-million-year, the Pallas's cat has an imperfect autoimmune system and experienced very high losses due to toxoplasmosis disease. Breeding of the Pallas's cat has plagued the world for decades, with China never having successfully bred one before 2021.

Wild Pallas's cats have a lifespan of 6-9 years while captive ones live up to 10 years. To date, the Qinghai-Xizang plateau wild zoo has raised four Pallas's cats.