Mei Lan Leaves Atlanta for China ATLANTA, GA (WABE) - Zoo Atlanta's giant panda Mei Lan bid the city farewell this morning.
The three year old is now on her way to Chengdu, China where she becomes part of that country's efforts to repopulate the endangered species. WABE's Jim Burress reports.

Early in the morning on the tarmac at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, a tug pulled a crate carrying three year old Mei Lan towards a massive cargo plane dubbed "The FedEx Panda Express."

Through a Plexiglas window, onlookers watched as she rolled around, at one point doing a nervous back flip for the crowd.

Before boarding the plane himself, former Zoo Atlanta CEO Dennis Kelley called Mei Lan's departure "bittersweet."

"Thank you Atlanta and Georgia for being supporters of great science, great research, and let's wish Mei Lan well as she goes off."

After a stop in Washington to pick up fellow panda Tai Shan, the plane embarked on a 14-and-a-half hour flight to China.

Although Mei Lan was born at Zoo Atlanta, giant pandas remain the property of the Chinese government.

Jim Burress, WABE News.
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