The private Ähtäri Zoo in Finland has announced it will return its two giant pandas, Lumi and Pyry, to China earlier than planned due to financial struggles. The pandas, originally loaned as part of a 15-year agreement commemorating Finland’s 100th year of independence, are set to be returned later this year, cutting short the arrangement by over eight years.
The zoo has faced severe financial difficulties exacerbated by declining visitor numbers, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation, and the effects of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Despite efforts to attract tourists with the pandas, the zoo has struggled with the high annual costs of $1.6 million, including a preservation fee to China and the expense of importing bamboo from the Netherlands. Additionally, the zoo spent $8.5 million constructing a special Panda House, which failed to generate the anticipated revenue boost.
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Despite China’s attempts to assist, including encouraging donations from Chinese companies in Finland, the financial challenges proved insurmountable. The pandas will enter a month-long quarantine before their return, marking an early end to what was initially a symbol of strong diplomatic ties between Finland and China.
### Understanding China’s Panda Diplomacy
Panda diplomacy, a long-standing practice by China, involves sending pandas to foreign countries as a symbol of goodwill and to strengthen diplomatic relations. Initially, China gifted pandas to allies, but in 1984, the approach shifted to leasing pandas, with zoos paying up to $1 million annually. This strategy serves both as a tool of diplomacy and a means of conservation, with pandas acting as major attractions in zoos worldwide.
China has been known to leverage panda leases to reinforce favorable trade relations, and in some cases, has withdrawn pandas to signal political discontent, highlighting the strategic nature of these iconic animals in international relations.
