Fighting panda extinction ...

... by gushing and fawning whenever the rare product of their bad mating habits goes on display.

ATLANTA - The giant panda cub Mei Lan made her media debut Friday, romping about a Zoo Atlanta exhibit area for a crowd of reporters and cameras while her mother chomped bamboo. ...

Although Mei Lan can walk, she is a little wobbly on her feet and tumbles easily. At four months, she is becoming more curious and tends to explore quite a bit, zoo officials said.

"Each week you think she's about as cute as she can get, and then you have to revise your estimates," said Dwight Lawson, vice president for animal programs and science at the zoo.

Mother Kim Dobso teared up when she laid eyes on Mei Lan.

"She's a miracle," she said.

Blech.