Mexico City, Mexico — The Chapultepec Zoo in Mexico City is mourning the loss of one of its oldest residents. Shaun Shaun, the longest living giant panda in Mexico, died on her 35th birthday.
In a statement, the Secretaría del Medio Ambiente says that Shaun Shaun means double double. She was given the name since she was born with a twin in June of 1987. They also said that Shaun Shaun lived nearly double her normal life expectancy, since in the wild, giant pandas live around 15 years.
“Today we say goodbye to Shuan Shuan with immense gratitude for teaching us about the conservation of his species, a panda that represented a symbol of friendship between Mexico and China. Shuan Shuan accompanied her beloved ‘tambourines’, veterinarians, biologists and other zoo collaborators and millions of visitors who knew her over the years,” the federal agency reported.
Shuan Shuan had been one of the oldest giant pandas in the world and was part of a select group of eight living giant pandas around the world that are currently over 30 years old.
The Secretary of the Environment of Mexico City says they “bid farewell with love and gratitude to the life of Shuan Shuan” and reiterated their commitment to maintain work for the conservation of life and the well-being of different wild species such as the giant pandas. “Goodbye dear Shuan Shuan.”