Due to the excessive costs associated with their care, two giant pandas leased from China and kept at a Finnish zoo were returned eight years earlier than planned.
Reuters reported that a privately owned zoo in Finland called Ähtäri Zoo announced its plans to send the giant pandas Lumi and Pyuuri back to China this November.
Lumi and Pyry arrived in Finland in January 2018 as part of an agreement made during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit in 2017.
Although the original lease period was set for 15 years, the zoo decided to return the pandas eight years early due to rising costs and inflation.
Risto Simonen, the chairman of Ähtäri Zoo, revealed that the zoo invested over €8 million (approximately $8.5 million) in the panda facilities and incurs annual maintenance costs of €1.5 million (around $1.6 million), which includes rent paid to China.
Once hopeful that the pandas would bring more visitors, the COVID-19 pandemic left the zoo in mounting debt by disrupting travel and foot traffic to the zoo.
As inflation drove costs higher, the zoo sought financial assistance from the Finnish government, but their request was denied.
The zoo had been discussing with China about returning the pandas for the past three years.
A Finnish Foreign Ministry representative stated, “The decision to return the pandas is a business decision made by the zoo, and the Finnish government did not intervene. This decision should not affect the relationship between Finland and China.”
The Chinese Embassy in Finland told Reuters, “After friendly discussions, both sides concluded to return the pandas despite China’s efforts to support the zoo.”
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