Campaign Falls Short, but Zoo Atlanta's Panda Program Remains

By Jim Burress

Atlanta, GA – In June, Zoo Atlanta embarked on a half-million dollar public donation campaign to keep its giant panda program. Donations fell short, but the pandas are staying. WABE's Jim Burress reports.

The "Give So They Can Stay" campaign needed about $100,000 more to meet the goal.

Zoo Atlanta president and CEO, Dennis Kelly, says the zoo's general fund will make up the difference.

"What the board said is, Terrific, you raised $400,000 we'll find a way in our annual fund, in our capital campaign, to take care of the rest.'"

Despite the shortfall, Kelly says the interest the campaign generated means it was still a success.

"Five dollars. Ten dollars. Children taking up collections and doing lemonade stands and sending us the proceeds. Those were really terrific stories."

While the zoo's panda program isn't going anywhere its three-year-old star Mei Lan is.

She heads to China on a special cargo plane next week where she becomes part of a global effort to repopulate the giant panda .

Jim Burress, WABE News.