The Atlanta Beauty

The giant panda cub at the Atlanta Zoo was named Mei Lan, which means
Atlanta Beauty. Following Chinese custom, her naming ceremony was held
when she was 100 days old, with representatives from China attending.

The cub weighed only about a pound at birth on September 6th last year,
but was up to 13.9 pounds by December 28th and measured 28.9 inches
from her nose to the tip of her tail. And she looks like a Panda now, in
contrast to her almost hairless, rat-like appearance at birth. Her efforts at
earning to walk and other activities can be watched on the Panda Cam
between 10 a.m. and 5p.m. est.

Mei Lan and her parents, Yang Yang and Lun Lun, are at the zoo on a
$10 million loan agreement with China. The zoo is to pay $1 million per
year for 10 years and is supposed to make a one-time $600,000 payment
for each cub born in their facilities, including Mei Lan, who is to be sent to
China when she is about two years old. Funds from the lease payments by
Atlanta and other zoos are used by China for conservation and educational
programs about the Pandas as an endangered species.

Officials of Zoo Atlanta are reported to have found their expectations of
greatly increased attendance because of the pandas disappointingly
unrealized. It seems likely that more would attend if the Zoo would lower
their admission rate- currently $17.99 for "adults" (those 12 and over),
$13.99 for "seniors", college students, and members of the military, and
$12.99 for children aged 3- 11. In order to do so they might need to not
spend millions renting animals that are adequately protected in their homeland.
Zoos all over the U.S. have been steadily pricing themselves into luxuries over
the years. The Chicago Zoo used to be free. The last time I was there, I had
to pay $12 just to park in their parking lot one afternoon. At least the Atlanta
Zoo has free parking.

The Giant Panda has long been a symbol of peace in China.