On Valentine's Day, Longsheng, a giant panda at Zhengzhou Zoo, climbed down from his wooden bed to the window and reached out slowly with his right paw to grasp a red carrot from his feeding tray. He seemed lonely without his female companion, Jinyi, who had died on Feb 9.
Seemingly oblivious to the loss, visitors thronged the zoo as usual to see the panda exhibit. They busily snapped photos and talked loudly with their families and friends. Some even knocked heavily on the glass wall to arouse Longsheng's attention. He seemed not to notice as he slowly nibbled his carrot.
Keepers had sanitized the enclosure from top to bottom after Jinyi's death from what zoo officials reported as "heart and lung failure", and the lingering odor of disinfectant still pervaded the panda house.
The cause of Jinyi's death is under investigation. A panda is normally expected to live up to 25 years, and Jinyi was only 7, a panda adolescent.
Questions have been raised whether management practices at the zoo contributed to her death. Scrutiny intensified when the zoo gave contradictory accounts to explain why Jinyi was not in the compound.
A final report will be issued in 10 to 15 days after the Veterinary Institute of Academy of Military Medical Sciences further examines tissue and fluid samples from Jinyi's body.
