A zoo in the city of Kobe said Wednesday that it will delay the return of a giant female panda to China by another year as the animal undergoes medical treatment.
Tan Tan is the oldest panda in Japan, at 28, which puts her in her 80s in human years, according to Oji Zoo. The animal seems to have lost her appetite and has been less active since fall.
The panda came to the zoo in 2000 from China for breeding purposes. She was supposed to be sent back home in July 2020 upon the end of her lease agreement, but this was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic and treatment of age-related cardiac disease.
Following discussions with China, the zoo has decided that it needs to postpone the return beyond the end of this month due to the need to continue checkups and treatment while also taking into consideration the risks from transportation.
Since spring 2022, the zoo has refrained from showcasing Tan Tan to the general public due to her health condition.