Three lionesses at a zoo in Tokyo have died from suspected heat illness as Japan bakes under a sweltering summer of record-high temperatures.
The deaths occurred over a week at the Tama Zoological Park in western Tokyo. Preliminary autopsy results showed the lions, aged between three and 15 years old, had severe dehydration and multiple organ failure, conditions which suggest heat stress played a significant role, the zoo said. Further tests will determine the exact causes of death, officials said.
“It hasn’t happened like this in the past. " Last year it was also hot, but none of our lions fell ill like this," zoo representative Miwa Kosaka told the BBC.
Japan has been experiencing prolonged periods of extreme heat this summer, with some areas seeing temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius. Health authorities have warned that rising temperatures and humidity levels are increasing risks for both people and animals.
Mugi, a three-year-old female, was the first lion to get sick, losing her appetite on July 19 and being unable to stand the next day, the zoo says. Staff tried to cool her with ventilation and water, then gave her fluids, liver medication and vitamins. She died on July 28.
Female lion Ichigo, 11, died July 31. Female Luena, 15, died Sunday
Three other lions, two males and a female, are still unable to stand and are still being given fluids, medication and vitamins, the zoo said. Some of the affected animals have shown signs of improvement, according to officials.
And separately, the zoo said four lions are now recovered from earlier symptoms, while six others have remained healthy throughout the heatwave. For safety, those animals are being moved into private enclosures with portable air conditioners and industrial fans.
University of Tokyo professor Hideaki Karaki, a veterinary expert, told local media that high humidity could make it particularly difficult for lions to control their body temperature. Lions do not sweat as we do. They pant instead to allow moisture to evaporate from their airways. That cooling process does not work as well if it is humid.
Karaki added that the quick temperature rise in mid-July may have given the animals little time to adjust to the changing conditions.
Since 1964 Tama Zoological Park, which houses some 260 species of animals, has displayed and bred lions. Lions are one of the most popular attractions, and most visitors see them on a safari-style bus tour.
Last month the zoo suspended its lion exhibit and safari bus service due to sickness among the animals during the heatwave.
Japan’s extreme summer has also impacted people across the country. This season, more than 43,000 people have been hospitalised with heatstroke, and authorities have issued repeated heat warnings, urging residents to take precautions such as staying hydrated, limiting outdoor activity and wearing lighter clothing.
