Pandas returning to China earlier than expected from Ähtäri Zoo

The pandas brought to Ähtäri Zoo six years ago are returning to China earlier than anticipated, as announced by the zoo on Monday. Here’s a summary of the key moments from the pandas’ journey in Finland.

The male panda, Huá Bào (Pyry), and the female panda, Jín Bàobào (Lumi), arrived at Ähtäri Zoo in 2018. They were flown in from China in January and attracted around 2,500 visitors who came to see their arrival procession. A 15-year conservation agreement was established with China, and in the first year alone, their presence nearly doubled the zoo’s visitor numbers to approximately 275,000.

Despite attempts to breed them, no panda cubs were born. The breeding process is complicated, with the female only in heat for a day or two each year. Additional preparations, including a special incubator for cubs, were made, but no offspring materialized.

The pandemic brought financial difficulties to the zoo, leading to closures and restructuring efforts. The onset of war in Ukraine further affected visitor numbers, impacting disposable income for families. Maintaining the pandas is costly; annual expenses reach about 1.5 million euros, with bamboo alone costing the zoo around 100,000 euros each year.

Ownership of the zoo is primarily held by the city of Ähtäri, which shares in the financial burden. Plans for state funding of five million euros in January 2023 fell through due to criticism, ultimately prompting the zoo’s board to prepare for the pandas’ return to China ahead of schedule. The leasing of pandas from China has also sparked discussions about “panda diplomacy” and its implications for international relations.