ATLANTA — It's time to say goodbye to Mei Lan.
Mei Lan, Zoo Atlanta's first giant panda cub, is heading for her permanent home in China.
See Mei Lan Leave For China Mei Lan's Life In Atlanta
The panda, a top attraction at the zoo since she was born in 2006, was taken to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport Thursday morning and loaded onto a Federal Express airplane, which soon departed.
Mei Lan (pronounced May Lahn) could be seen pacing back and forth before her crate was lifted into the belly of the Boeing 777 freighter. She was flying to Washington, D.C., where she will be joined by Tai Shan (TY-shawn), a panda cub born in 2005 at the National Zoo.
The plane then will fly nonstop to Chengdu, China.
FedEx employees designated as members of the company's "panda team" wore black and white jackets. The plane bore a panda image on its nose and front. Mike Ducker, the company's chief operating officer, said the plane would have a VIP cargo -- very important pandas.
Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed said that while Mei Lan will be gone from Atlanta, she was going home.
Zoo Atlanta keeper Heather Roberts, who took care of Mei Lan in her former home, is making the trip to China with her.
Mei Lan's parents, Lun Lun (Loon Loon) and Yang Yang (Yahgn Yahng), and her little brother, Xi Lan (She Lahn), will remain at Zoo Atlanta.
WSBTV
