A remote zoo in northern Finland will deport two pandas back to China far ahead of their scheduled 2033 return due to the cost of their care exceeding what the zoo can afford these days, the BBC reports. Marko Haapakoski, curator at Ähtäri Zoo, said the €1.5 million annual upkeep for Lumi and Pyry was “much more than all the other species combined,” as they needed imported bamboo and a licensing fee to the Chinese government, who also required a keeper to be with them 24/7.
Deporting the pandas is “a good thing for the zoo because they were so expensive,” but the pandas had been “doing really well, so it’s a pity”, said Haapakoski. “They’re really nice to work with.”