World’s oldest panda in captivity celebrates 37th birthday in China

Basi, the world's oldest panda in captivity, celebrates her 37th birthday in southern China's Fujian province, state media reports. (Photo grabbed from Reuters video)
Basi, the world’s oldest panda in captivity, celebrates her 37th birthday in southern China’s Fujian province, state media reports. (Photo grabbed from Reuters video)

FUZHOU CITY, FUJIAN PROVINCE, China (Reuters) — Basi, the world’s oldest panda in captivity celebrated her 37th birthday on Wednesday (January 18) in southern China’s Fujian province, state media reported.

Basi is the inspiration for Pan Pan, the mascot for the 1990 Beijing Asian Games.

Panda fans from all over the world including the UK, Switzerland and Japan came to Fuzhou Panda World to attend the birthday celebration, said the CCTV report.

Basi, whose age is the equivalent of 140 human years, can only be fed liquid food and a small amount of bamboo leaves, media reports said.

CCTV added the panda received cataract surgery several years ago and has high blood pressure, but she is in good overall health.