Giant panda celebrates 37th birthday with special cake

Hong Kong's giant panda Jia Jia has become the oldest panda in captivity, celebrating her 37th birthday.

37-year-old female giant panda Jia Jia eats bamboo during a birthday celebration at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, China, 28 July 2015.

37-year-old female giant panda Jia Jia eats bamboo during a birthday celebration at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, China, 28 July 2015. Source: Imaginechina

Captivity's oldest ever giant panda has tasted a vegetable ice cake and, of course, bamboo in celebration of her 37th birthday.

Jia Jia was recognised on Tuesday as holding two Guinness World Records, the oldest ever and the oldest living giant panda. Her mate, An An, also marked a birthday, his 29th.

Born in 1978, Jia Jia was sent to Hong Kong Ocean Park with An An in 1999. They were given by China to mark the second anniversary of Hong Kong's handover.

Jia Jia has had six babies and four are still living.

The park's veterinary service director, Paolo Martelli, says typical panda life expectancy is about 20 years and only eight of about 400 living in captivity today are older than 30.

So, he says, "it's quite exceptional to reach such an old age for a panda".

Jia Jia's age equals about 110 for humans. She suffers high blood pressure and arthritic pain, though her health is stable.


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