Helsinki

Looks like caring for two Chinese pandas from China has become a 'weighty issue' for Finland due to financial constraints. The Nordic nation is going to return Lumi and Pyry, the two giant pandas it had received from China as part of the Asian nation's so-called panda diplomacy.

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The cuddly animals housed at Ahtari Zoo, which is a private institution, will be sent back to China in November, eight years ahead of when they were supposed to be returned.

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The pandas were transported to Finland in January 2018 some months after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the country.

Agreements signed at the time to improve bilateral ties included one to protect the pandas.

Also read: US-China panda diplomacy back on track as Beijing plans to send pandas to San Diego

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The animals were supposed to be in Finland for 15 years as per the agreement.

Finland is going through a cost of living crisis and inflation, which seem to have made it difficult for the zoo to care for the animals.

Reports cited Ahtari Zoo board's chairperson Risto Sivonen as saying that some 8 million euros, or $8.92 mn, were spent on making the proper habitat for the pandas in the facility.

The maintenance cost for the animals ran into 1.5 million euros, according to Sivonen, including money paid to China as preservation fees. 

The pandas were expected to be crowd pullers, but as the Covid pandemic hit in 2020, Finland's tourism sector was hit hard. The zoo found it difficult to care for the animals as the cost of operations went up.

Also read: Taiwan Zoo puts two fat pandas on special diet, exercise routine

The government did not provide funds despite requests in 2023 from the zoo. 

Now the Chinese have agreed to take the pandas back, Sivonen stated.

Terming the planned return of the pandas as a business decision, Finland’s foreign ministry said it will not affect bilateral ties.

The Chinese embassy in Helsinki said the decision on the return of the pandas was taken amicably.

Despite efforts by China to aid the zoo, the two countries in the end jointly concluded after friendly consultations to return the pandas, it said in a statement to Reuters news agency.

Before they return to China, the animals will now go through a month of quarantine.

As part of its panda diplomacy, China had loaned several giant pandas to different countries. This is part of conservation efforts of the species that has a dwindling population.

(With inputs from agencies)