Mei Lan facts for kids
Two-year-old giant panda Mei Lan at Zoo Atlanta
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| Species | Giant panda |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Born | 6 September 2006 Zoo Atlanta, Georgia, US |
| Residence | Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, Sichuan, China |
Mei Lan (which means "American orchid" or "beautiful orchid" in Chinese) is a male giant panda. He was born on September 6, 2006, at Zoo Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. His mother, Lun Lun, had a very long labor, lasting 35 hours!
When Mei Lan was first born, the zoo staff thought he was a girl. Later, experts in China at the Chengdu Research Base of Panda Breeding discovered he was actually a boy. Mei Lan was the first cub born to Lun Lun and Yang Yang. His younger siblings include Xi Lan, Po, and two sets of twins: Mei Lun and Mei Huan, and Ya Lun and Xi Lun. Mei Lan moved to Chengdu, China, on February 4, 2010.
How Mei Lan Got His Name
Mei Lan received his name at a special ceremony on December 15, 2006. This followed a Chinese tradition where panda cubs are named when they are about 100 days old.
The name Mei Lan was suggested by a TV station in Atlanta, WSB-TV. It means "American orchid" or "beautiful orchid." The public voted for their favorite name in an online poll. Mei Lan's name won with 22% of the votes. Many of the names in the poll had words like "beautiful," "orchid," "peach," or "moon." These words are often used for girls' names in China. This is because everyone thought Mei Lan was a girl when the names were being chosen!
Mei Lan's Journey to China
Like other giant pandas born in zoos in the United States, Mei Lan legally belongs to China. This is part of special agreements between the countries.
Mei Lan left for China on February 4, 2010. He traveled on the same airplane as another famous panda, Tai Shan, who was from the National Zoo in Washington D.C. Today, Mei Lan lives at the Chengdu Panda Base. This is the same place where both his parents, Lun Lun and Yang Yang, were born.
See also
- List of giant pandas
- List of individual bears
