Pandas Lumi and Pyry set for return to China from Ähtäri Zoo due to financial issues

The giant pandas Lumi and Pyry, who arrived in Ähtäri Zoo, Finland, in January 2018, are set to be returned to China due to financial difficulties faced by the zoo. Agreements regarding the pandas’ protection and leasing were established between Finland’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, China’s State Forestry Administration, and the zoo alongside the China Wildlife Conservation Association. The Ministry aided the parties in reaching this decision when the pandas came to Finland, a move that resulted from discussions between political leaders.

Pekka Pesonen, the head of the ministry, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to host the pandas for several years and highlighted their role in raising awareness about their conservation. “Welcoming the pandas was significant, as they play a vital role in China’s diplomacy. They were an honor for us,” he stated. Pesonen also reassured that the return of the pandas would not harm diplomatic relations between Finland and China, emphasizing the good communication that exists between the two countries. He acknowledged the state’s inability to provide financial assistance for the pandas’ return due to their substantial economic support requirements.

Liisa Kauppila, a researcher at the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, noted that the return of the pandas does not represent a diplomatic loss, as trust between Finland and China has been eroded by previous events. Kauppila observed that as China’s image has deteriorated in the West, the significance of panda diplomacy has diminished, making it less effective in swaying new generations. Other countries, such as Canada, have also returned pandas to China under similar circumstances.