Giant panda cub born in Atlanta zoo

ATLANTA, Aug. 31 (UPI) -- Atlanta zoo officials say that a giant panda cub has been born, with its mother possibly expecting another.

Lun Lun, one of Zoo Atlanta's adult pandas, gave birth Saturday night to the first cub born in the United States this year, WSB-TV reported.

"We are delighted, proud and elated," said Dennis Kelly, Zoo Atlanta's President and CEO.

"We are just as excited as we were about Mei Lan's birth," he added, referring to Lun Lun's first offspring born in 2006.

Zoo Atlanta's Animal Management and Veterinary Teams, joined by a curator from China's Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding, are closely monitoring Lun Lun for the possibility of a second birth. This happens nearly 50 percent of the time in giant pandas. Panda twins often arrive as late as 12 to 24 hours after the first.

The still unnamed panda cub will be introduced to the public in early 2009. The father, 9-year-old Yang Yang, remains on exhibit and will not be introduced to his offspring, a normal procedure. Giant pandas are normally solitary in the wild.