25 Years of Pandas: Oh Baby!

Throughout the years, Zoo Atlanta has had plenty of cause for celebration, but few things have rivaled the scope and excitement of panda cub arrivals. And there’s a reason for that! Until 2016, giant pandas were listed as Endangered by the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature), meaning each and every panda birth was (and remains) significant for the species. Furthermore, giant panda reproduction is particularly challenging. Female giant pandas experience only a short window of fertility every year, which  has made the reproductive successes at Zoo Atlanta especially rewarding for our Panda Care Team, Veterinary Team, and partners in China. And then, of course, there’s the special connection so many of our guests and fans around the world have to the pandas . 

We’ve had the immense privilege to celebrate the births of seven panda cubs at the Zoo, all offspring of Lun Lun and Yang Yang. Read on to learn more about the Zoo Atlanta-born cubs, as we continue to celebrate a quarter-decade of the giant panda program here at the Zoo. 

 

 Mei Lan: 
Lun Lun and Yang Yang’s firstborn arrived on September 6, 2006, after a 36-hour labor (the longest ever for a giant panda at the time). Despite being a first-time mom, Lun Lun immediately demonstrated excellent maternal care, which would continue with all her offspring.  

As the first panda cub born in Atlanta (and the only cub born in the United States in 2006), Mei Lan was an instant celebrity: his milestones were regular features in the news cycles, and tributes to him were held throughout the city. As with all Zoo Atlanta panda cubs, Mei Lan received his name at a 100 Day Naming Celebration, in tribute to the ancient Chinese tradition. Mei Lan’s name translates to “Atlanta Beauty,” and was chosen by over 57,000 voters via an online poll hosted by The Atlanta Journal Constitution. 

Mei Lan departed Atlanta for the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, his parents’ birthplace, on February 4, 2010. Much like his parents, Mei Lan traveled on a specially  branded plane, and his departure received a ceremonial water cannon salute. 

 

Xi Lan
Xi Lan’s arrival on April 30, 2008 was a much speedier affair than his brother’s, with labor lasting only nine hours. Despite being second born, Xi Lan earned a special place in Atlanta’s heart with his big personality and rough-and-tumble playstyle (so much so that many of our panda fans still consider Xi Lan a favorite). 

Xi Lan’s name was announced at his 100 Day Ceremony, and translates to “Atlanta’s Joy,” chosen via an online poll on Zoo Atlanta’s website. The ceremony featured a traditional Chinese Dragon Dance and was attended by many of Atlanta’s elected officials, including former Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, along with representatives of the China State Forestry Administration, Chinese Association of Zoological Gardens, and the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. 

Xi Lan departed Atlanta for the Chengdu Research Base in May 2014. 

 

Po 
Few animals have received quite as much celebrity treatment as Lun Lun and Yang Yang’s third infant, born on November 3, 2010. With her birth coinciding with the release of DreamWorks’ Kung Fu Panda, Po was named in partnership with DreamWorks Animation in tribute to the film’s main character. At her Naming Day Ceremony, Po’s name was announced by none other than Jack Black, the film’s star. 

Po departed for China, where she is now known as “A Bao,” alongside brother Xi Lan in 2014. 

 

Mei Lun and Mei Huan
The first pair of panda twins to be born in the United States since 1987, Mei Lun and Mei Huan arrived on July 15, 2013. Although twins occur in panda births around 50 percent of the time, only one fetus had appeared on ultrasounds during Lun Lun’s pregnancy, making the second cub a special surprise for all those following the birth. 

In the wild, giant panda mothers are typically only able to care for a single cub, so Zoo Atlanta employed a “swapping technique,” by which one cub would be with Lun Lun in the birthing den while the other was maintained in an incubator until it was time for the two to rotate positions. By December of the same year, both twins were fully under Lun Lun’s expert care. 

The twins’ names, meaning “something indescribably beautiful and magnificent,” were announced live on Good Morning America after an online poll hosted by the show. The twins departed for China in November 2016, with travel supplies that included 375 pounds of bamboo; eight gallons of water; and 25 pounds of favorite treats, including sugarcane, leafeater biscuits, and bananas. 

 

Xi Lun and Ya Lun 
Lun Lun and Yang Yang’s final offspring arrived on September 3, 2016. As with Mei Lun and Mei Huan, the Zoo Atlanta Team utilized the swapping technique until Lun Lun was ready to take over both their care.  

Many of our panda fans know Ya Lun and Xi Lun, whose names mean “Lun Lun’s elegant and happy daughters,” very well. As the only panda cubs still to reside at the Zoo, viewers can currently catch the twins (and their parents) around the clock on Panda Cam presented by Cricket .

Ya Lun and Xi Lun are expected to travel alongside their parents to Chengdu sometimes in the fourth quarter of this year. More specific information will be shared as soon as it becomes available.  

 

After the birth of Ya Lun and Xi Lun, the decision was made, with the backing of our partners in Chengdu, not to pursue further breeding with Lun Lun and Yang Yang, largely in consideration of Lun Lun’s age. If you ask us, after raising all these little ones, Lun Lun more than deserves her peaceful golden years, and her contributions to her species are nothing short of legendary. 

Thank you to everyone who has joined in celebration of all the Zoo Atlanta cubs- it’s been our great joy to share these special moments with you over the past 18 years. You can read up on more details on our panda program and find answers to FAQs here.