Ähtäri Zoo prepares to return giant pandas to China amid financial challenges

Mari Tuhkio, a resident of Ähtäri, acknowledges that negative news isn’t pleasant, yet it has been prevalent this autumn. In September, the Ähtäri Zoo decided to send the giant pandas, which were on loan, back to China due to financial reasons. Following the autumn break, the pandas named Lumi and Pyry were placed in quarantine as arrangements for their return flight commenced. The process of returning the pandas, which arrived in Finland in 2018, began last Friday.

Maintaining the pandas cost approximately 1.5 million euros annually, with 600,000 euros covered by ticket sales. Visitor numbers have declined due to challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, which impacted planned cooperation projects with Russia.

Despite the disheartening news, Tuhkio believes it is essential to preserve the zoo, as it has fostered a tourism sector in the area. She feels the zoo doesn’t necessarily need another major attraction like the pandas but could benefit from introducing some new animals.

In early November, the town of Ähtäri announced it would initiate negotiations regarding layoffs, while the zoo and its subsidiary, Hotel Mesikämmen, sought corporate restructuring assistance. The city aimed to relieve financial pressures on tourism enterprises by writing off loans and receivables from the zoo totaling approximately 7.6 million euros, resulting in an estimated deficit of 2.6 million euros by the end of 2023. To generate additional revenue, the tax rate is expected to increase by 0.5 percentage points to 10.6%, positioning Ähtäri as one of the highest taxing municipalities in Finland.

Residents express mixed emotions about the future, with some hoping for better days ahead while others lament the town’s decline, earning it an uncertain reputation.