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Thursday, August 14, 2008
Let it be known, Atlanta is a panda town.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Lun Lun: baby mama, again?
Zoo Atlanta is on 24-hour baby watch for it’s mama panda, Lun Lun.
Cute. But so what? Zoo Atlanta seems to have a fresh crop of babies all the time.
Well, prepare yourself. In the next few weeks, you hear squeals from nearby cubicles and unceasing discussion of birth weights.
This is a panda town.
When Lun Lun gave birth to Mei Lan in 2006, it made the zoo famous, drew huge crowds and launched a live panda cam. (Hence the squeals.)
Panda pregnancy isn’t a simple thing. Zookeepers are dealing with artificial insemination, a teeny uterus blocked by bamboo-stuffed intestines, mood swings. (“Lethargy” is the word they use, but we’ll go ahead and call sleep a mood.)
Mei Lan was a media star a few years ago; expect the same if there’s a new arrival or two.
What else does a newcomer need to know about this panda town?
Zoo Atlanta posts daily updates on Lun Lun to keep everyone informed.
Pandas are born weighing about four ounces. (Just think: one third of a can of Coke equals one panda cub.) An adult weighs 175-275 pounds. Click here to learn more panda history and science.
They don’t start out like the stuffed pandas in the gift shop. Here’s a photographic timeline of Mei Lan’s growth, to show what this baby (if there is one) could look like.
There’s not much action in the Zoo Atlanta panda exhibit right now — mama needs her sleep — but if you live in Atlanta or Fulton County, the zoo is free to you this weekend.
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