Finland is set to return two giant pandas, Lumi and Pyry, to China in November, more than eight years earlier than planned. The decision comes as the Ahtari Zoo, where the pandas have been residing since January 2018, is facing financial challenges that make it difficult to sustain the animals.
The pandas were initially brought to Finland following a joint agreement signed during Chinese leader Xi Jinping's visit to the Nordic country. Since its establishment in 1949, China has been sending pandas to foreign zoos as a way to strengthen diplomatic ties and enhance its global reputation.
