Pandas NEED our LOVE

BANGKOK, Thailand —  

Zoo staff in northern Thailand donned black-and-white clothing and observed a minute of silence to mourn the sudden death of their popular male giant panda, who was on a long-term loan from China.

Officials said Chuang Chuang collapsed Monday in his enclosure at the Chiang Mai Zoo shortly after standing up following a meal of bamboo leaves.

Staff said Tuesday they found no sign of illness or injury on the 19-year-old panda’s body, and that he had recently passed a health checkup. An autopsy will be done with a Chinese Giant Panda Expert present. 

A zoo veterinarian said pandas have a life expectancy of 14 to 20 years. In captivity their life span is up to 30 years old.

A sixth attempt to produce a giant panda cub at Edinburgh Zoo through artificial insemination has failed.

The zoo's female panda, Tian Tian, has not produced a cub following the latest procedure in March.

Tian Tian has failed to reproduce despite repeated artificial inseminations since her 2011 arrival. Tian Tian had previously given birth to twins in China but all attempts to produce a cub at Edinburgh Zoo have failed.

Charlotte MacDonald, the zoo's director of conservation and living collections said: "Tian Tian was artificially inseminated at the end of March and we now know this was not successful.

Tian Tian, which means "Sweetie", and her mate Yang Guang, which means "Sunshine" came to Edinburgh in 2011 in a 10-year agreement with the Chinese government.

In November, it was reported that the zoo's male giant panda Yang Guang had both testicles removed after tumours were discovered by keepers.