A zoo in Finland is set to return two giant pandas to China, ending their stay eight years early due to financial challenges. The beloved pandas, Lumi and Pyry, arrived in Finland in 2018 following an agreement aimed at their conservation.
Originally expected to remain in the Nordic country for 15 years, the animals will be flown back to China in November. Ähtäri Zoo has cited inflation and debt incurred during the Covid pandemic as primary reasons for this decision, stating that their annual care costs reached €1.5 million, with over €8 million invested in their enclosure.
The zoo’s chairman highlighted that the maintenance expenses included a preservation fee to China. Furthermore, the Finnish government’s refusal to provide state funding last year contributed to the zoo’s choice to return the pandas. Although there were hopes that the pandas would attract more visitors, discussions regarding their return began as early as last year.
Before their departure, Lumi and Pyry will undergo a month-long quarantine. A spokesperson for Finland’s foreign ministry clarified that the pandas’ return is a business decision and does not reflect government involvement, emphasizing that it should not strain Finland-China relations. The Chinese embassy in Finland acknowledged the attempts to assist the zoo but confirmed that it was a mutual decision to repatriate the bears.
China often sends pandas to international zoos as part of its strategy to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties, known as “panda diplomacy.”
