The oldest captive giant panda passed away on Thursday at the ripe old age of 37. By human years, she was over a century old. The Straits Giant Panda Research and Exchange Center in southeastern China, where she lived for 33 years, bid a heartfelt farewell to the bear with a memorial service featuring Basi's body surrounded by yellow flowers.
"It is with heavy hearts that we solemnly announce at this time that the mascot of the first Asian Games held in China (1990) and a symbol of friendship at home and abroad, the giant panda star Basi, died at 8:50 a.m. on September 13, 2017, having reached the age of 37," said the Straits Giant Panda Research and Exchange Center in southeast China.
Basi outlived most of her peers by nearly two decades. Pandas in the wild have an average lifespan of about 20 years, but those in captivity live longer. She died of old age, cirrhosis of the liver, and kidney failure, according to the center, which also serves as a zoo known as Fuzhou Panda World. Besides her longevity, Basi was beloved for her athletic exploits, which inspired the official mascot of the 1990 Asian Games.
She could ride a bicycle, throw a ball through a lowerable basketball hoop, lift weights and balance on a wooden board.
