Pandering to commercialism

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which owns Edinburgh Zoo, have finalised a deal with the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association to bring two giant pandas - Tian Tian and Yangguang - to the capital. The bears’ arrival will mark the first time a panda has resided in the UK for 17 years. But the venture is a huge risk, and it may well not pay off.

As exciting as it is to have such rare and beautiful animals being shipped to Scotland from far-flung corners of the world, it is hard to ignore the cost of hosting the pandas in Edinburgh: estimated at some £6 million. Even in exuberant times for zoos - which these are certainly not - that is a vast sum to raise.

Edinburgh Zoo, in particular, is in no such purple patch. RBS have shied away from their initial offer of corporate sponsorship; meanwhile, First Minister Alex Salmond, though he championed the deal, has now categorically ruled out any government subsidy of Tian Tian and his mate.

The zoo are relying on the whirlwind of publicity around the pandas’ arrival to help cover the significant cost of keeping them, but it is doubtful whether this panda-monium will last long enough to revive the zoo’s dwindling ticket sales - or to ensure for Tian Tian and Yangguang the high standard of living necessary for there to be any chance of them breeding.

But perhaps worst of all is the lingering question of whether Edinburgh Zoo is a suitable home for the pandas. Edinburgh City Council recently issued a highly critical survey of living conditions at the zoo, and failure to pass their next inspection in 2012 could see the zoo lose its licence. Surely it would be advisable for the zoo’s administrators to ensure that their current wards are well cared-for before bringing the crown jewels of the zoo world to the city?