A zoo in Finland has agreed with Chinese authorities to return two giant pandas loaned to China eight years ahead of schedule because they are too expensive for the center to care for amid dwindling visitors.
The private Ähtäri Zoo in central Finland, about 330 kilometers (205 miles) north of Helsinki, said on its Facebook page Wednesday that female panda Lumi, Finnish for “snow,” and male panda Pyry, that “snow,” will return “before time.” ” to China later this year.
The panda pair was a gift from China to mark the centenary of the Nordic country’s independence in 2017, and was supposed to be on loan until 2033.
But since then the zoo has faced many challenges, including a drop in visitors due to the 2020 coronavirus pandemic and the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as rising inflation and interest rates, the center said in a statement.
Here’s the full NPR story.
Source link