 "Born in the U.S.A."
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Dec. 17, 2003 — A giant panda born in a U.S. zoo four months ago was named Mei Sheng, Chinese for "born in the U.S.A.," the San Diego Zoo said Tuesday.
The male cub, whose parents are on loan from China, was born in August and has become the pride and joy of the Southern California zoo.
"On an international scale, this is now the second giant panda who will forever be linked to the United States," said Don Lindburg, leader of the zoo's giant panda team.
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"Mei Sheng serves as a symbol of continued advancement for giant panda conservation and research," he said.
He said the young panda's name could also be interpreted as "beautiful life."
Panda cubs are generally not named until after the 100-day anniversary of their birth.
Mei Sheng's parents are the male Gao Gao and female Bai Yun, who are both on longterm loan to the zoo from China.
Bai Yun, who came to the United States in 1996, gave birth to a female cub, Hua Mei, four years ago. Until Mei Sheng was born, Hua Mei was the only surviving giant panda born in the United States.
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Name: Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca)
Primary Classification: Ursidae (Bears) Location: The Sichuan, Gansu and Shanxi provinces in central China. Habitat: Temperate bamboo forests. Diet: Bamboo (almost exclusively.) Size: Up to 6 ft in length and 250 lbs in weight. Description: Black fur on ears, eye patches, muzzle, legs and shoulders; white fur everywhere else; thick, woolly coat; broad, round face and flat nose; round, protruding ears; round body with short, sturdy limbs. Cool Facts: A mothers will eat its cubs' stools to eliminate any evidence of their presence, thereby avoiding potential predators. It needs to eat more than 22 lbs of bamboo each day to satisfy its daily nutrient requirements. Conservation Status: Endangered Major Threat: Habitat loss and poaching. What Can I Do?: Visit the World Wildlife Fund and The Hong Kong Society for Panda Conservation for information on how you can help. |
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