Ni Hao Mei Lan
One of my favorite pandas at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding is Mei Lan. He was born on September 6, 2006 at Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.A. Mei Lan was named “Atlanta Beauty” in Chinese. Many panda fans were surprised when it was announced last September that ‘she’ was a ‘he’. But they all are still huge fans of Lun Lun and Yang Yang’s first offspring.
Mei Lan has a very round and fluffy face like his mother Lun Lun. And I must say from my last visit to Atlanta in June, Xi Lan is lookig more and more like his big brother…
I visited Mei Lan in Atlanta in October 2007 and in October 2009 and was very happy to see him again and work with him in Chengdu during my Pambassador time in September 2010.
I know many people were sad when he left his birth town Atlanta on February 4, 2010 and moved to his parents’ native country China. But we can’t forget that he returned with a cause: to participate in the giant panda breeding program.
Mei Lan had another special visitor: Dr. Sam Rivera of Zoo Atlanta. He also visited Chengdu after the Annual Conference. Dr. Sam Rivera & keeper Heather Roberts came to China with Mei Lan when she moved to Chengdu. It was good for him to see that Mei Lan is doing great!
At his new home, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding he lives at the No.2 Enclosure. This beautiful building was constructed in 2008 and has 4 large outside display areas. At the moment it houses 7 giant pandas (Mei Lan – Shu Lan – Ke Bi – Gong Zi, Huan Huan, Ying Ying & Yuan Zi).
I know Mei Lan has many fans around the world, who will be happy to see my recent Mei Lan pictures.
I was so happy to see him again and I can say to all his fans that he looked like a happy growing boy and that he is still treated like a star.
I believe “Atlanta’s Beautiful” has a great future waiting for him in Chengdu…
Go to our Photo gallery or Flickr page to see more pictures of Mei Lan.
