Elderly panda dies in SW China

CHENGDU -- The oldest female giant panda in a breeding base in Southwest China's Sichuan province has died at the age of 34, the base announced Thursday.

Su Su passed away on Friday from multiple organ failure after a drop in activity and appetite since late May, according to staff with the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding.

Her age at death was equivalent to about 100 human years. A group of five of her descendants living in a Japanese zoo is the largest panda family outside of China.

The panda had developed old-age ailments in recent years, including high blood pressure, declining liver function and heart failure. Doctors had been treating her to alleviate her symptoms.

She was found to be missing an eye when she was rescued from the wild in 1986. In the following year, she went into shock for a day due to an anaesthesia-related incident during a physical check-up.

The average lifespan of wild pandas is normally 20 years, but those in captivity usually live longer.