Sudden Death of Chinese Panda on Long-Term Loan to Thailand.

Lin Hui, a giant panda on long-term loan from China to a zoo in northern Thailand, died suddenly at the age of 21. The cause of her death is not yet clear, but she appeared to have become ill on Tuesday morning and her condition deteriorated rapidly. Lin Hui and her male mate, Chuang Chuang, arrived in Chiang Mai in 2003 on a 10-year loan that was later extended for another 10 years. The loan was ostensibly for research and conservation purposes, but was generally regarded as an act of friendship by China.