Panda movement study: Hong Kong’s Ocean Park team discovers An An’s energy-saving habits
- Researchers say findings from two-year study on world’s oldest male giant panda in captivity can improve the animals’ ‘exhibit design’
Researchers at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park have discovered how An An, the world’s oldest male giant panda under human care, conserved energy with its movement patterns in a research study the team has said can be used to improve the animals’ living environment.
The Ocean Park team released on Friday the research findings based on more than two years of observations of the bear before it died.
Researchers added they would also carry out similar behavioural observations and analyses on the new pair of giant pandas gifted by Beijing before improvement works would be considered for their home within the park.
“Science of animal welfare is a developing field. We test and try to come up with new solutions to help our animals and measure how we can do that constantly,” said Dr Eszter Matrai, senior research fellow of the Ocean Park who led the research.
“This is just a new tool that potentially could help and can be implemented for other animal exhibits as well,” she added.
An An died in July 2022 at the age of 35 – the equivalent of 105 years in human age.
