Twin panda cubs in Zoo Atlanta get names via vote
WASHINGTON, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- The twin giant panda cubs in Zoo Atlanta, the first surviving pair of panda twins ever born in the United States, now get their names 100 days after birth according to a Chinese tradition, the zoo announced on Wednesday.
Cub A and Cub B, born to female giant panda Lun Lun on July 15, have been officially named Mei Lun and Mei Huan, which originate from a Chinese idiom meaning "something indescribably beautiful and magnificent," the zoo made the announcement via live broadcast on ABC's Good Morning America.
"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 are 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 of the zoo. "We share this joy with our colleagues in China and with the cubs' fans around the world."
The winning names were selected by a national vote from five sets of names provided by the zoo's partners at the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding in China. The voting contest opened on Oct. 9 and closed on Oct.21, hosted online through Good Morning America, drew 51,000 votes nationwide.
The 100th day of name-announcement ceremony and celebration follows an ancient Chinese tradition which holds that when a child reaches the 100th day of life, he or she has survived the risky fragility of infancy and may be considered on track for a successful future, said the zoo.
The twins' older brothers were also named according to this tradition.
Lun Lun and her male partner, Yang Yang, who came to the zoo in 1999 on loan from China, have produced five cubs so far, all of them male. Mei Lan, the eldest born in 2006, has returned to China, while the next two still live at the zoo. The name of Xi Lan, born in 2008, means the joy of Atlanta, while Po, born in 2010, is named after the Kung Fu Panda in Dreamworks' animated film.
The twins are expected to make their public debut on exhibit later this fall, the zoo said.
亚特兰大熊猫双胞胎取名“美轮”“美奂”
新华网华盛顿10月23日电(记者孙浩)美国亚特兰大动物园旅美大熊猫“伦伦”所生的双胞胎23日迎来出生100天，正式获得了由美国民众投票选出的大名――“美轮”和“美奂”。
它们是在美国境内出生并存活下来的首对大熊猫双胞胎。亚特兰大动物园通过美国广播公司《早安，美国》节目的网上平台向全美发起投票，并特意选择在小家伙出生100天之际通过节目公布投票结果。
动物园总裁及首席执行官雷蒙德?金在节目中说，这对熊猫双胞胎的诞生不仅是亚特兰大动物园历史上的重要一笔，也对美国具有重要的纪念意义，因此很高兴能面向全美观众宣布它们的名字，同时也希望能与远在中国的同仁以及全世界的“熊猫迷”们分享这份快乐。
据动物园介绍，此次投票于10月9日至21日举行，共有5组名字备选，吸引了全美5.1万人投票，最终胜出的“美轮”和“美奂”是由动物园合作伙伴、中国成都大熊猫繁育研究基地提供的。
动物园还特意向美国民众介绍说，按照中国传统，熊猫幼崽的名字要等到它“百日”的时候再起，动物园也一直遵照这一传统为先后在园内出生的5只熊猫宝宝正式起名，此次也是动物园首次借助媒体面向全美公布消息。
自这对熊猫双胞胎出生以来，亚特兰大动物园大熊猫团队和来自成都大熊猫基地的专家一起精心看护“伦伦”和幼崽。动物园表示，两个小家伙目前健康、活泼，预计最早可于今年年内与公众见面。除了一直为公众提供的大熊猫监护视频直播，动物园还在“百日”之际专门公布了一段纪念视频，回顾了大熊猫双胞胎出生以来一连串经典瞬间。视频中，出生时不足手掌大的粉嫩小家伙逐步变样，长出了标志性的黑白相间的绒毛，慢慢睁开眼睛。两个小家伙时而头朝一侧酣睡，时而伸出前肢碰碰对方，时而抬头“练练嗓子”，“萌”态十足。
旅美大熊猫“伦伦”和雄性同伴“洋洋”1999年由成都大熊猫基地来到亚特兰大，立即成为当地最受喜爱的动物明星。在诞下双胞胎前，“伦伦”分别于2006年、2008年和2010年产下“美兰”、“喜兰”和“阿宝”三子。其中，“美兰”已回到成都大熊猫基地，另外两只仍在亚特兰大动物园生活。老大和老二的名字分别寓意亚特兰大的美丽和喜悦，老三的名字取自动画片《功夫熊猫》的主人公。
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