Prisca Tang
Macau’s red panda Tong Tong who lived in Seac Pai Van Park passed away yesterday at the age of eight due to illness, a Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) statement said yesterday.
According to the statement, the female red panda Tong Tong started to lose her appetite at the beginning of the month. An IAM veterinarian immediately checked her over and consulted experts from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding for a medical treatment plan.
Regrettably, Tong Tong passed away yesterday. The bureau said it suspects that her death was caused by a tumour, adding that it will conduct an autopsy to confirm the main reason for her death.
The statement said that at the beginning of the month, IAM’s caretaking team noticed that Tong Tong was less active than usual and started to lose her appetite, pointing out that she was also becoming very sensitive about her surroundings. The statement noted that when the veterinarian discovered that she had mouth ulcers, she was sent to have a thorough body examination. The statement pointed out that her X-ray showed a suspected tumour.
The statement said that after discussing her condition with the experts in Chengdu, the bureau immediately started feeding her liquids and medicine. However, the statement pointed out, her situation worsened in the next few days and she passed away yesterday.
The statement noted that Tong Tong, who was eight years old, came to Macau with her “boyfriend” Luo Luo in 2016. The statement underlined that red pandas average life expectancy is between eight to fifteen years.
This undated photo on the Municipal Affairs Bureau’s (IAM) Macau Panda website shows Tong Tong savouring apple slices.
