Finland to Return Giant Pandas to China Due to Financial Struggles

Finland will send two giant pandas back to China in November, eight years ahead of schedule, as the zoo that houses them can no longer afford their upkeep, according to Ahtari Zoo’s board chair, Risto Sivonen.

The pandas, Lumi and Pyry, were brought to Finland in January 2018 as part of a conservation agreement following Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the Nordic country.

The agreement was for 15 years, but financial pressures have forced an early end to the arrangement.

Ahtari Zoo, located in central Finland, invested over 8 million euros ($9 million) in building a habitat for the pandas and faces annual upkeep costs of 1.5 million euros, including a preservation fee paid to China.

However, the zoo has been struggling with mounting debt, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted tourism. Last year, the zoo announced it was considering returning the pandas due to financial hardships.

Increased inflation has worsened the zoo’s situation, and Finland’s government declined requests for state funding in 2023.

After three years of negotiations, China agreed to take the pandas back. Lumi and Pyry will undergo a month-long quarantine before their departure.

“This was a business decision. The Chinese have now agreed to the return,” Sivonen told Reuters.

Finland’s foreign ministry confirmed that the decision was made solely by Ahtari Zoo and will not affect diplomatic relations between the two countries.

The Chinese embassy in Helsinki issued a statement noting that both sides came to a mutual agreement after friendly consultations.

China has long used pandas as diplomatic symbols, loaning them to foreign zoos to strengthen ties. Despite initial hopes of boosting visitor numbers, the financial burden proved too great for Ahtari Zoo.