Twin giant panda cubs at Zoo Atlanta officially named Mei Lun (may loon) and Mei Huan (may hwaan)

Atlanta, GA, 2013-10-25 — /travelprnews.com/ — Giant panda cub duo has been named Mei Lun and Mei Huan via national vote ATLANTA – October 23, 2013 – One hundred days of “Cub A” and “Cub B” are over, and the twin giant panda cubs at Zoo Atlanta have officially been named Mei Lun (may loon) and Mei Huan (may hwaan). The names, which originate from a Chinese idiom meaning “something indescribably beautiful and magnificent,” were announced via live broadcast on Good Morning America on October 23, 2013.

“We’re delighted to finally be able to place names with two youngsters who have not only made an indelible mark on the history of Zoo Atlanta, but who have also made history in the U.S. We’re excited to have partnered with Good
Morning America on bringing the celebration of their names to a national audience,” said Raymond B. King, President and CEO. “We share this joy with our colleagues in China and with the cubs’ fans around the world.”

The winning names were selected by national vote from five sets of monikers provided by partners at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. Hosted online through Good Morning America, the voting contest
opened on October 9, 2013, and closed on October 21, 2013, with over 51,000 votes nationwide.

The 100 Day Celebration follows an ancient Chinese tradition that holds that when a child reaches his or her 100th day of life, he or she has survived the risky fragility of infancy and may be considered on track for a successful future.
Mei Lun’s and Mei Huan’s older brothers, Mei Lan, Xi Lan and Po, were also named according to this tradition.

Born July 15, 2013, Mei Lun and Mei Huan are the first surviving pair of giant panda twins ever born in the U.S. and are the fourth and fifth offspring of Lun Lun and Yang Yang. The pair’s first offspring, Mei Lan, born in 2006, now
resides at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding. Their second and third, Xi Lan, born in 2008, and Po, born in 2010, presently reside at Zoo Atlanta.

The duo is expected to make their public debut on exhibit in the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation Giant Panda Conservation Center later this fall. Follow Mei Lun’s and Mei Huan’s milestones on PandaCam presented by EarthCam on zooatlanta.org or on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Google+. Subscribe to exclusive email content via Cub Confidential; subscribe on the PandaCam page on zooatlanta.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Keisha N. Hines
Director of Public Relations, Communications and Social Media
404.624.5980 – office
404.309.2238 – cell
khines@zooatlanta.org

About Zoo Atlanta
An accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), Zoo Atlanta inspires value and preservation of wildlife through a unique mix of education and outdoor family fun. From well-known native wildlife to critically endangered species on the brink of extinction, the Zoo offers memorable close encounters with more than 1,500 animals from around the world. A slate of new up-close-and-personal experiences opened in spring 2012: giraffe feeding, permitting guests to hand-feed Earth’s tallest living land mammals, and Wild Encounters, three new behind-the-scenes adventures with African elephants, giant pandas and Komodo dragon. Other highlights include the nation’s
largest collection of western lowland gorillas, the nation’s largest zoological collection of orangutans and a global center of excellence for the care and study of vanishing reptiles and amphibians. The Zoo is open daily with the exceptions of Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Keeper talks, interactive wildlife shows, education programs and special events run year-round. For more information, call 404.624.WILD or visit zooatlanta.org.

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