Giant panda Tuan Tuan gifted by the Chinese mainland to Taiwan region passed away while under anesthesia on Saturday, said Taipei Zoo.

The zoo said in a short statement that its medical team has confirmed that Tuan Tuan's heart stopped beating at 1:48 p.m.

Eighteen-year-old male giant panda Tuan Tuan, one of the two giant pandas gifted by the Chinese mainland to Taiwan in 2008, had been fighting against seizures for months and was found to have brain necrosis.

Previously, two experts from the Chinese mainland went to Taiwan to aid in treatment.