Chinese Panda Fans Demands Answers Over Cubs Death

Story By: John FengSub-EditorJoseph Golder, Agency: Asia Wire Report

AsiaWire

China’s top panda research facility says a beloved cub died at the end of last year but visitors who have New Year’s Eve footage of the bear, allegedly seen here alive and well are demanding answers.

Giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) cub Xing Qing died of heart failure at the end of 2019, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in south-western China’s Sichuan Province said in a shock announcement yesterday (26th March).

The female cub, born 9th August last year, would have been less than six months old at the time of its death, further details of which have not been disclosed.

AsiaWire

However, Chinese panda lovers who saw Xing Qing apparently alive and well have shared footage reportedly taken on 31st December 2019, casting serious doubt over the timeline provided by the Chengdu Panda Base.

In the video, Xing Qing is seen playing in a tree while a panda ‘nanny’ tends to her.

Other commenters have also recalled seeing Xing Qing alive in December, with an army of panda lovers now demanding clarity over the bear’s death – and why it took so long for the panda base to announce her passing.

AsiaWire

‘Laoayi De Gushi’ wrote: “I don’t even understand why you would want to hide this for so long until now? The panda base has not provided any clarity for us to fully understand what took place.

“People get sick and die, and so do animals. Many unexpected things happen in life. Don’t censor this sort of information and think we’ll forget that the panda ever existed.”

‘Xiaoshizi He Gungunmen’ added: “Please at least tell us the precise time when Xing Qing died. And make public the necropsy report.”

‘Rourou de Danangua’ said: “Chengdu Panda Base, you need to be transparent.

“Release details and tell everyone how exactly Xing Qing died, and give us the timeline of her illness, vet’s notes, and necropsy report.”

Chengdu Panda Base, which opened its doors on 25th March for the first time amid the coronavirus pandemic, is now welcoming up to 5,000 people a day.

It has yet to elaborate on Xing Qing’s death.

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