The final weekend to see the panda duo Lumi and Pyry at Ähtäri Zoo brought large crowds on Saturday, as visitors flocked to catch a glimpse of the animals before their departure.
The timing coincided with the school autumn holidays, leading to queues forming at the gates during the week.
On Saturday, an estimated 3,500 people visited the zoo, a significant number according to the zoo's CEO Arja Väliaho. The day was expected to be the busiest of the year, and it likely was.
The Giant pandas will return to their homeland of China later this year, earlier than planned. According to Ähtäri Zoo, the decision to send the pandas back is the result of several factors.
Earlier this month, All Points North went to the Ähtäri Zoo to cover the story behind the panda duo. You can listen in the player below or on Yle Areena, Apple podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you get podcasts.
The Covid-19 pandemic, a decrease in tourism, and inflation and rising interest rates due to the war in Ukraine all played a role in the decision. The pandas have been in Ähtäri since 2018.
For many visitors, this was their first and last chance to see the pandas.
Saara Jauhiainen and Mirja Määttä traveled from Kuopio to Ähtäri to see Lumi and Pyry before it was too late.
Many others also left their visit until the last minute. The pandas will be on display until Monday, after which they will enter a month-long quarantine before their journey back to China.
"They've come from far away, and they are incredibly cute," remarked Mirja Määttä.
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