Hong Kong’s Ocean Park euthanises 17-year-old red panda Rou Rou

2026.03.17 06:20 Ocean Park has euthanised 17-year-old red panda Rou Rou to minimise her suffering from old age ailments. Photo: Handout Hong Kong’s Ocean Park has euthanised red panda Rou Rou after the 17-year-old endangered animal experienced degenerative joint problems and stopped responding to palliative care. Ocean Park said on Tuesday that its animal care and veterinary teams had provided Rou Rou with comprehensive care and monitored her geriatric conditions for five years, but could not prevent age-related ailments, including degenerative joint issues. The park added that Rou Rou showed “increasing signs of discomfort” in recent weeks and “no longer responded to palliative care”. “Following a thorough assessment on her quality of life and welfare, the decision to humanely euthanise Rou Rou to prevent her from suffering unnecessarily was therefore made,” the statement read. “Rou Rou was surrounded by her devoted caretakers in her final moments and passed away peacefully.” Red pandas are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species. They have an average lifespan of eight to 12 years in the wild. There are fewer than 10,000 wild red pandas, according to estimates. Ocean Park said Rou Rou had a “gentle yet playful nature”, making her a favourite animal ambassador among visitors. Rou Rou moved to Ocean Park from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in 2009. Red pandas are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s red list of threatened species. Photo: handout The park still has two red pandas, Cong Cong and Tai Shan, who joined the park that same year. The two, both aged 17, have some geriatric issues but are currently healthy and stable. The park said its staff would continue to provide regular husbandry training and health checks to ensure their well-being. Some online users paid tribute to Rou Rou in response to Ocean Park’s announcement on social medi

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