Panda News from around the world
  • Giant Panda Lun Lun Gives Birth in Atlanta

    Lun Lun the female giant panda at Zoo Atlanta give birth to a healthy cub at 5:39am local time November the 3rd.

    This is Lun Lun's third cub to be born at Zoo Atlanta. Her first cub Mei Lan was sent to Chengdu, China earlier this year and her second cub Xi Lan can be seen along with the father Yang Yang at Zoo Atlanta.

    Well done to Lun Lun and all the staff who look after her and the other pandas at Zoo Atlanta.
  • Amazing Pictures of Lun Lun's Unborn Cub

    On October 28, Preferred Medical Systems, LLC loaned the Zoo Atlanta Animal Care and Veterinary Teams a GE ultrasound machine capable of capturing a level of detail never before observed for unborn giant pandas.
  • Zoo Atlanta's Giant Panda is Expecting

    The Giant Panda at Zoo Atlanta is expecting a cub, which experts think will be delivered in the next 5 - 10 days.

    If Lun Lun goes full term then this cub will be Lun Lun's third. Her first cub Mei Lan was sent to Chungdu in China earlier this year, and Xi Lan, Lun Lun's first currently still lives near by to Lun Lun and father to all 3 pandas Yang Yang.

    Lets hope that Lun Lun gives birth to a healthy cub soon.
  • Zoo Atlanta Performs AI on Lun Lun

    Lun Lun the 12 year old female Giant Panda at Zoo Atlanta ovulated over the weekend. Lun Lun and Yang Yang were introduced to each other in the hope of a natural breading. Unfortunately mating didn't occur. So the Keepers, Atlanta's veterinarian team, a Chinese colleague and two American Colleagues from other institutions stepped in to perform artificial insemination.

    Now all there is to do is wait and see if Lun Lun gives birth this year.
  • The Weaning of Xi Lan

    Atlanta Zoo's nearly 18 month old Giant Panda will be gradually weaned away from his mother in to a solitary life in keeping with how pandas live in the wild.

    San Diego developed the step wise programme and it was used to wean Mai Lan (Atlanta's 3 year old that has just gone to China) and also used at other zoos in America. The programme gradually increases the time away from the mother.

    Xi Lan should be fully weaned by early march. Xi Lan has already started to eat solid foods including bamboo, leafeater biscuits and fruit.
  • Ninja Panda

    Whilst we were at Zoo Atlanta, little Xi Lan was very playful and wouldn't leave mum alone.

    Check out the video below.

    BTW it's not me laughing!
  • USA Trip Atlanta

    We had a wonderful day yesterday at Zoo Atlanta.

    We meet some wonderful people there, the volunteers are brilliant, friendly and very knowledgeable.

    I hope you enjoy the photos.

    Atlanta Panda Photots"
  • Xmas Idea for Panda Lovers.

    Holiday season will soon be with us. Do you wish that friends and family could get your something panda related, and will help pandas at the same time?
    Then send them to the Atlanta zoo's Auction. There you will find wonderful panda goodies (So, I'm told. It doesn't go live till 9am EST (2pm UK Time).
    All funds raised will be donated to the "Give so they stay" appeal.
    Auction ends at 11:59 pm EST on Saturday, October 31st
  • Xi Lan update

    Head over to Perfect pandas where they have some wonderful photos and videos of little Xi Lan the Atlanta panda cub.
  • Big day out for Xi Lan at Atlanta.

    A wonderful website called Pandas live on, have a post and a short video of Atlanta's Little man on his first out outing to the public viewing area. So head over there and have a view.
  • Atlanta Panda cub due to be named today.

    Thanks to Perfect pandas for reminding me.

    The Atlanta Zoo is due to release the name of their new cub today at 11:30 EST. Which by my poor maths is around 16:30 here in the UK. I'll post his name as soon as I find out, as I will be travelling from work at that time. If you're on the M62 please keep it clear for me. :)
  • Atlanta Baby Panda Named

    Panda News would like to introduce you to Xi Lan (She Lahn) the official name of the only panda cub born in the USA this year at Atlanta Zoo

    UPDATE (I choose the wrong picture the original was of Xi Lan older sister Mei Lan thanks to Joanne for spotting this)
  • Help choose a name for Atlanta's baby panda

    The charming little boy panda cub at Atlanta will turn 100 days on December 8th. This is a very special time in Chinese tradition as it is the time he will receive his name. Now the only problem is choosing one for him. Zoo Atlanta would like you to help choose it. From Monday 27th October voting will be open online (I'll post the link when it goes live) and also by casting a ballot at the zoo. Voting closes December 4th.
  • New panda for Atlanta Zoo's Lunlun

    Lun Lun, one of Zoo Atlanta's pandas, gave birth to a cub Saturday night.

    The cub was born at 10:10 p.m., according to an announcement on the zoo's Web site.

    Delivery took place in a specially-constructed birthing den in the Zoo’s giant panda holding building. The cub is the only giant panda to be born in the U.S. in 2008.

    “We are delighted, proud and elated,” said Dennis Kelly, Zoo Atlanta’s President and CEO. “We are just as excited as we were about Mei Lan’s (Lun Lun’s first offspring, born September 6, 2006) birth."
  • Lunlun's Panda taken into care

    Lun lun's baby was taken into protective care after it was noticed that it had a high temperature. It was returned to Lunlun when it's temperature returned to normal.
  • New Panda for Atlanta coming soon?

    Officials at Atlanta zoo have said that Lun Lun is pregant, and is due any time.

    Veterinarians were able to do an ultrasound on the 230-pound bear around 4 p.m. and saw a fetus in the right horn of her uterus, said Dwight Lawson, senior vice president of collections, education and conservation for the zoo.

    Zoo officials have been on pins and needles since beginning around the clock panda watch Aug. 9. They artificially inseminated Lun Lun in April with semen from zoo mate Yang Yang, the panda father of the pair’s daughter Mei Lan, who was born in September 2006.
    Zoo Atlanta
  • Zoo Atlanta Panda May Deliver Twins

    With predictions that Lun Lun, Zoo Atlanta's female giant panda, could give birth in a week to 10 days, the zoo's panda watch team is preparing for twins.

    The connection between Atlanta and China is more than just the interest in the Olympics. Zoo Atlanta and the panda research center in Chengdu have long been working closely together to ensure the survival of the giant panda.

    Just last week, the Chengdu Center's foremost expert in the care of twin panda cubs arrived at Zoo Atlanta.

    "We've got three cameras in the den with her, currently," said Zoo Atlanta panda keeper Kate Roca. "It allows us to see what she's doing from all angles."

    The overnight panda watch shift for Kate Roca is just about over. She was on panda watch two years ago when Mei Lan was born. And while possibly pregnant Lun Lun is now sleeping 90 percent of the time, Kate stays focused.

    "I wouldn't have asked to do this if it wasn't the thrill of the job," she said.

    This time, Kate and the Zoo Atlanta panda watch team are seconded by Yang Kway Shing -- an expert in twin panda births from the Chengdu Panda Center.

    At Zoo Atlanta's panda nursery, you will notice there are two incubators. That's because historically in about half of the panda births, the mom gives birth to twins. This year about 80 percent of the panda births have been twins.

    Zoo Atlanta has been put on notice by their partners in China to be ready for twins.

    "Usually the mom rejects one of the two twins," said Zoo Atlanta president and CEO, Dennis Kelly. "That's very normal in nature. She doesn't have enough energy to take care of twins. But with the Chinese we've come up with a scheme that saves the twin, the rejected twin, almost all the time."
  • Atlanta waiting for a new Panda cub

    Zoo keepers are on 24-hour birth watch for a new giant panda at Zoo Atlanta. They expect 10-year-old giant panda Lun Lun to deliver a cub in the next few weeks.

    Lun Lun showed a decrease in appetite and became lethargic last week. Keepers say the changes are normal for a female giant panda entering the final phase of pregnancy.

    Lun Lun's first cub named Mei Lan was born on Sept. 6, 2006. Zoo Atlanta is one of only four zoos in the U.S. exhibiting the endangered species.
  • Is Lun lun pregnant?

    Zoo officials are keeping a close eye on Lun lun at Atlanta Zoo, in case she might be pregnant. Zoo Atlanta officials artificially inseminated her in April and is now due.

    Lets hope so.