Zoo sending giant pandas back to China because they are too expensive to maintain

FINLAND: A zoo in Finland will be returning two giant pandas back to their homeland, China, in November. They will be sent back to China eight years earlier than originally planned because they are too expensive to keep.

According to a CNN report, the pandas, called Lumi and Pyry, arrived in Finland in January 2018 just a few months after Chinese leader Xi Jinping visited the country. President Xi had then signed a joint agreement for the protection of animals.

▶️ Finland’s Ahtari Zoo will return two giant pandas to China in November, eight years early, saying it can no longer afford their upkeep. Originally set for a stay of 15 years, the pandas will soon go into a month-long quarantine before being sent home.https://t.co/UrJQUUlfJa pic.twitter.com/YjFGjFGunl

— Voice of America (@VOANews) September 26, 2024

The practice of sending pandas to foreign zoos is not new, as it has been a method employed by China over the years to help strengthen trading ties, foster foreign relations, and bolster its international image.

As per the agreement with Finland, the pandas were supposed to stay at a zoo there for 15 years, but they will soon be shipped back to China. They are currently housed at the Ahtari Zoo in Finland and will be sent back after a month’s quarantine.

The zoo, which is owned by a private company, has invested more than eight million euros in the  facility where the animals live. Their upkeep costs 1.5 million euros and includes a preservation fee, which is paid to China.

The pandas were supposed to attract visitors to central Finland. However, the pandemic curbed travel for many and resulted in mounting debts for the zoo.

Ahtari Zoo chairman Risto Sivonen said that negotiations to return the animals had been going on for three years.

“Now we reached a point where the Chinese said it could be done,” said Sivonen.

A representative from Finland’s foreign ministry said that the return of the pandas was a business decision made by the zoo which did not involve Finland’s government and should not impact relations between the two countries.

Reuters reported that, according to a statement from the Chinese embassy in Helsinki, China has apparently made efforts to help the zoo, but in the end the two countries have decided that returning the pandas to China would be best.