Hong Kong's giant panda Jia Jia set to become world's oldest

Female panda Jiajia celebrates her 37th birthday.(Photo/CFP)

HONG KONG, July 28 -- One of the resident giant pandas in Hong Kong, Jia Jia, who is turning 37 years, is officially recognized as the oldest member of the species in captivity in the world, Blythe Ryan Fitzwilliam, adjudicator of Guinness World Records said at a ceremony at the Ocean Park here on Tuesday.

Female panda Jia Jia has been officially recognized as "Oldest panda ever in captivity" and "Oldest panda living in captivity", Fitzwilliam said.

The record was previously held by another giant panda Du Du, who died in 1999 just short of reaching 37.

Another male giant panda, An An, who will soon turn 29, is the world's second oldest living male giant panda under human care, according to the Ocean Park.

Jia Jia and An An were gifted to Hong Kong by China's central government in 1999, and have been living in the care of the Ocean Park since then.

Over the past 16 years, close to 27 million visitors have visited them and learned about pandas and conservation.

Carrie Lam, Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government said, "Thanks to the care given by the Wolong National Nature Reserve in Sichuan and Ocean Park, An An and Jia Jia are enjoying a healthy life in their sunset years."