Giant panda Le Le, who died at the Memphis Zoo in the United States earlier this month, might have died of heart disease, according to a joint autopsy by Chinese and U.S. experts.

The autopsy was conducted after a Chinese expert group arrived at the zoo recently. Experts ruled out common diseases that may have caused Le Le's death, such as intestinal torsion, a ruptured aorta, a ruptured liver, an abscess or massive bleeding. They observed a cardiac lesion and preliminarily judged that it was the cause of the animal's death. However, further pathological tests are needed to confirm it.

Le Le, a male panda, was born in China in July 1998 and was loaned to the zoo in the U.S. along with a female panda named Ya Ya in 2003, bringing lots of joy and was widely loved by the American people. In 2013, the 10-year loan agreement was extended for another 10 years, and Le Le was scheduled to return to China this year.

The expert team also checked the health of Ya Ya, who was born in 2000. 

According to the physical examination report and monthly health evaluation report, except for some fur loss caused by skin disease, Ya Ya is healthy with a good appetite, normal stool characteristics and a stable weight. However, her emaciated state and thinning fur in recent camera footage have aroused concern among panda lovers.

The Chinese expert team discussed Ya Ya's fur with the zoo during their visit and gave suggestions and requirements to the zoo on the breeding and care of Ya Ya.

With the current giant panda loan agreement for the giant panda Ya Ya coming to an end, China and the United States are now actively coordinating efforts to bring Ya Ya back to China as soon as possible.

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)