A giant panda rented from China died in Berlin's zoo, a zoo worker confirmed on Tuesday.

 

The panda named Yan Yan died Monday afternoon, the anonymous worker told Xinhua by phone, saying the 22-year-old female panda had been in good condition and showed no signs of illness days before her death.

 

Experts have been probing into the cause of her death, he said.

 

Yan Yan came to Germany in 1995 in order to mate with Bao Bao, a male panda given by the Chinese government to former Republic of Germany, as her predecessor Tjen Tjen died of a viral infection in the zoo in 1984 at 6.

 

Despite all effort, Yan Yan never got pregnant during the 12 years in the zoo. Her contract to stay in Berlin will expire this year.

 

Twenty-seven-year-old Bao Bao, the oldest male panda living in captivity, went into retirement in 2005 heirless. The Chinese government gave him and Tjen Tjen as gifts in November 1980 to former Republic of Germany. 

 

(Xinhua News Agency March 28, 2007)