China explorer Young dead at 96

HERCULES, Calif., May 18 (UPI) -- Adelaide "Su-Lin" Young, who gained fame for exploring China during the 1930s, has died of natural causes in Hercules, Calif. She was 96.

Young died April 17 of natural causes, the San Francisco Chronicle reported Sunday.

The daughter of a New York nightclub owner, Young married world explorer Jack Young in 1933 and the couple explored China in search of specimens for the Museum of Natural History, newspaper said.

One of Young's surviving daughters, Jolly King, said her mother's participation in the nine-month expedition was unusual for women at the time.

"As the sole woman in the company of men, she was an oddity if not scandalous," King said. "It was not accepted at that time."

Young's exploits gained the attention of fellow female explorer Ruth Harkness, who later named the first giant Chinese panda to visit the United States "Su-Lin" after Young. A second Chinese panda brought to the states was also named after Young.

In addition to King, Young is survived by two other daughters, Wan and Jocelyn Fenton; two grandchildren and one great-grandchild.