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World's oldest male captive giant panda dies
An Ocean Park conversion suggests that one year of age for pandas is roughly equivalent to three human years.

Ocean Park's famous resident An An was 35 years old.

The world's oldest male giant panda in captivity has died aged 35, as reported by BBC News.

An An, who lived at Ocean Park in Hong Kong, was euthanised after showing steady signs of deterioration over the last few weeks.

Ocean Park, a hybrid amusement park and zoo, has been where An An lived since 1999, after he was gifted to Hong Kong from China's central government. 

An An's age, equivalent to 105-years-old in human years, made him the world's oldest male giant panda in captivity. 

In a Facebook announcement, Ocean Park said that it was 'deeply saddened' by the loss of An An, and encouraged visitors to sign the condolence books in the park if they wished to pay tribute to the beloved panda. 

Those in charge of the elderly panda's care noticed that his food intake had declined significantly and progressively, and shortly after that, An An refused solid food entirely. 

Alongside this, his activity levels had declined, and caretakers noticed that he was resting for an increasingly longer amount of time.

Paolo Pong, chairman of Ocean Park Corporation, told BBC News: "An An has brought us fond memories with numerous heart-warming moments. His cleverness and playfulness will be dearly missed.”

 

Image (C) Ocean Park

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Greyhound Board announces change to vaccination guidance

News Story 1
 The Greyhound Board of Great Britain has published new vaccination guidance, with all greyhounds registered from 1 January, 2027 required to have the L4 leptospirosis vaccination, rather than L2.

The change comes in response to the reduced availability of the 'L2' Leptospirosis vaccine across the UK, and aims to support best biosecurity practice across the racing greyhound population.

GBGB veterinary director Simon Gower, said "While rare, Leptospirosis is a serious infectious disease that can affect both dogs and humans, so it is vital that we offer our greyhounds the broadest possible protection.  

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News Shorts
Free webinar explores congenital heart disease in dogs

A free webinar is to provide veterinary professionals, dog breeders and pet owners an new insights into congenital heart disease.

Chris Linney, a cardiology specialist and Veterinary Cardiovascular Society (VSC) member, will present the webinar from 7.00pm to 8.30pm on Wednesday, 12 November.

Dr Linney will explore the types, causes and clinical presentation of congenital heart conditions. This will include diagnostic approaches, treatment pathways and emerging research opportunities.

The session is the third to be organised by The Kennel Club, with the VCS, following an introductory webinar and a talk on acquired heart disease. Dr Linney's webinar consists of a one-hour presentation, followed by a 30-minute question and answer session.

Dr Linney said: "This webinar will be an opportunity to deepen understanding - not just of the diseases themselves, but of how breeders, vets and owners can work together to support affected dogs and improve outcomes for future generations."

Click here to register for the webinar.