Cash-strapped zoo in Finland considers sending giant panda pair back to China

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Female panda Lumi, plays with the snow at Ahtari Zoo. /Lehtikuva/Roni Rekomaa

A zoo in Finland has said it is preparing to return two giant pandas to China because it can no longer afford the pair's upkeep.

The pandas, named Lumi and Pyry, arrived in Finland in 2018, shortly after Chinese President Xi Jinping visited the Nordic country and signed a joint agreement on protecting the animals.

But Ahtari Zoo, where the pandas are housed, has struggled financially in recent years, accumulating mounting debts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In 2021, the Finland government gave a one-off payment of €200,000 ($217,300), but have since declined an application for a €5million ($5.4 million) grant.

Lumi (above) and Pyry, arrived in Finland back in 2018. /Lehtikuva/Roni Rekomaa

The decision was made to reject the grant after MPs pointed out that the amount outweighed what the country spends annually protecting its own endangered species.

The Foreign Ministry said that it was attempting to find a solution, adding there was currently no certainty over the situation.

A spokesperson for the ministry said: "If the pandas were returned, we believe that China would understand it would be a business decision of a private company in a difficult financial situation.