Pandas draw huge crowds in Ähtäri as farewell event approaches

The last weekend that the giant pandas, Lumi and Pyry, were publicly displayed in Ähtäri drew significant crowds on Saturday. The event coincided with school autumn breaks, leading to long queues at the entrance each morning.

On Saturday, approximately 3,500 visitors arrived at the animal park, a number deemed impressive by CEO Arja Väliaho. This day was expected to be the busiest of the year, a prediction that appears to be accurate. Visitors could also engage in special activities, such as learning about panda lifestyles from environmental educator Laura Puikkonen, who noted an increase in audience size compared to a typical weekend. Children even had the chance to physically test the strength of bamboo.

The pandas are set to return to their native China earlier than planned, before the end of this year. According to Ähtäri Zoo, this decision results from multiple factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a decrease in tourists, and inflation and rising interest rates stemming from the war in Ukraine. Since their arrival in 2018, Lumi and Pyry have been a major draw.

Many visitors are experiencing their first and last opportunity to see the pandas. For instance, Saara Jauhiainen and Mirja Määttä traveled from Kuopio specifically to see the beloved animals. Jauhiainen remarked on how far people had come to witness their cuteness.

The pandas will be visible until Monday, after which they will enter a month-long quarantine before their journey back to China.