Chinese accidently gas their beloved giant panda

[Liberal_in_LA]

Chinese officials blame death of beloved giant panda Quan Quan on accidental gassing

An autopsy reveals that the animal died after inhaling carbon monoxide and chlorine being used as a disinfectant. The death sparks questions and anger from Chinese citizens and animal welfare advocates.


Reporting from Beijing — They sent army doctors, the police and hand-selected veterinarians to rescue her, but after three hours at the hospital, nothing could save Quan Quan, the beloved giant panda of the Jinan Zoo in Shandong province.

On Tuesday, six days after Quan Quan's death, officials announced that poisonous gas had killed the 21-year-old panda, dubbed a "heroic mother" by state media for birthing seven cubs over the years.

An autopsy revealed that Quan Quan, who was about 70 in panda years, died after inhaling carbon monoxide and chlorine coming from a former air raid shelter that was being disinfected. The fumes eventually caused her lungs to collapse.

Early Chinese media reports said the panda had been placed inside the contaminated shelter at the zoo to cool down during the midday heat. But Liu Jungang, deputy Communist Party secretary of the Jinan Zoo, said Tuesday that the panda had died from inhaling the disinfectant from the nearby shelter through shared ventilation pipes. Liu did not explain how the gas got into the ventilation system.

The death of one of the country's national treasures and a member of an endangered species will likely increase pressure on Chinese officials to better care for the animals, experts said.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-china-panda-death-20100728,0,4135734.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fmostviewed+%28L.A.+Times+-+Most+Viewed+Stories%29

[joeybee12]

1. I'm really sick of hearing shit about animals from china...all those "zoos" with starving

tigers, and now this...this is not simply a mistake...this is incompetence extraordinaire.

[jgraz]

3. It has nothing to do with incompetence

China's cultural views on animals are on a par with the Taliban's views on women. Until that changes, the suffering will continue.

[joeybee12]

4. The Panda, though, one would think they would be extremely careful with...

apparently not.

[roguevalley]

5. pandas that are dying or so ill they feel they might die often seek

out people. its an odd phehomenon but they do.

[mikelgb]

2. Sad