Atlanta Panda Gives Birth

[Stephen of Borg 2]

ATLANTA - After seven years of trying and hoping, Zoo Atlanta officials announced a rare giant panda birth Wednesday, one of only a few in the United States.

 

 

 

Lun Lun, a 9-year-old giant panda, gave birth just before 5 p.m. after 35 hours of labor. It's the first panda cub born at the Atlanta zoo and is just the fifth giant panda born at a U.S. zoo in the last six years.

 

The cub is hairless, weighs about 4 ounces and is the size of stick of butter. The sex will not be known for weeks.

 

Panda keepers will remain on watch for up to 24 hours to see whether the baby panda has a twin. Fifty percent of panda births result in twin cubs.

 

Lun Lun is responding normally to her new baby, holding the cub and reacting when it cries, said Dwight Larson, vice president for animal programs and science for the zoo.

 

The first few weeks of a cub's life are critical to its survival, Larson said. "These are small offspring and quite fragile," Larson said. "It's going to be tense for us."

 

Cubs typically take about 75 days to open their eyes. At 100 days, the zoo is planning a naming ceremony for the cub and to present it to the public.

 

After trying for seven years, the zoo successfully artificially inseminated Lun Lun at the end of March with semen taken from her male partner, Yang Yang. The father and cub are being kept separate, which is normal in the wild.

 

A panda cub at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., born last summer, was the product of artificial insemination. There are only 1,600 to 3,000 of the endangered species remaining in the wild today, and another 185 living in captivity.

 

Only three other U.S. zoos — San Diego, Memphis and the National Zoo — have pandas. Memphis has not been able to successfully impregnate a panda.

 

As many of you know, or should lol, I live about 45 minutes from Atlanta and actually went to Zoo Atlanta a few weeks ago. Here are a couple of pics of Lun Lun, the new mother, a few weeks ago that I had taken at the zoo.

 

Edited September 7, 2006 by Gamera

[KIMIMELA 1]

Aww great pictures, Gamera! :P Thanks, I love pandas I just want to go and give them a big hug they look so cuddly! (Probably not, it'd either squeeze me to death or bat me out the way with his paws :P)

[trekz 7]

Great pictures Gamera! I think pandas are are really cute and fascinating. I have spent way too much time the last year or so wtaching the panda's at the National Zoo in DC on the panda cam. Tai Shan has been really interesting to watch as he has grown into a one year old.

Edited September 8, 2006 by trekz

[Stephen of Borg 2]

thanks for the nice comments on my pics Cara and trekz :P

[Odo 0]

Nice story and pics gamera thanks

 

 

ps. have not forgotten still have the figurines ( enterprize people) if tou still need them.

Edited September 8, 2006 by Odo

[Stephen of Borg 2]

thanks!!!!!!!!! I PMed you, respond back if recieved the PM

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

Those are indeed fine pics. Are panda cubs normally this small at birth? You'd think an animal that big would have a bigger baby.

[Stephen of Borg 2]

I thought I'd give an update. I didn't take this picture, but this is what the baby looks like now

 

 

 

 

It now weighs 6.15 pounds

[trekz 7]

Thanks for the update. I'm trying to remember to check this website every couple days. The baby should be getting close to starting to try to walk soon, shouldn't she? Her Mom seems to be leaving her a bit more often now to go and eat.

[Stephen of Borg 2]

What the baby looks like now

 

today, the cub is 100 days old. Also, according to Chinese tradition, the baby will be named today! I will post the baby's name once it is announced later this morning.

[Stephen of Borg 2]

the baby has been given name and it has been announced. The new Panda's name is Mei Lan, which translates as "Atlanta's Beauty". The name was voted on by thousands of people on the Zoo Atlanta website. So it is official

 

 

Mei Lan "Atlanta's Beauty"

[trekz 7]

It is very cute! I was watching it on the webcam today. It seems to still be learning to walk.

 

For those with interest in Pandas, the cold weather in Washington DC is making the pandas there more active, so you may want to check out the Panda Cam at the National Zoo or on Animal Planet if the National Zoo Cam is too busy.