Three female lions have died of suspected heatstroke at a zoo in Tokyo after weeks of extreme heat left several other lions seriously ill.
The lions, aged between 3 and 15, died between Tuesday and Sunday at Tama Zoological Park in Hino, Tokyo.
Autopsies found that all three suffered from severe dehydration and multiple organ failure. Zoo officials believe prolonged extreme heat was responsible for the deaths.
The deaths are unprecedented at the facility. Tama Zoological Park has kept and exhibited lions since 1964, but officials said it had never previously recorded a lion dying from heat-related causes.
“There has never been a case in which lions died due to heat at Tama Zoological Park,” a Tokyo metropolitan government official said.
The zoo had 16 lions as of July, including five males and 11 females ranging in age from 1 to 20. Ten developed symptoms such as loss of appetite and reduced activity after an extended period of extreme heat that began in mid-July.
The lions were subsequently given medical treatment, while the zoo suspended public viewing of the animals on July 23 as their condition worsened.
Three more lions — one female and two males — remain in poor condition and are receiving treatment, according to the report.
The deaths highlight the growing challenges faced by zoos as prolonged periods of extreme heat place additional stress on animals, particularly species that can struggle to adapt to unusually high temperatures.
News.Az
By Aysel Mammadzada
AloJapan.com