Three lionesses have died at a Tokyo zoo in recent days, apparently from heatstroke, while several other lions remain under medical observation and treatment, a zoo spokesperson said Tuesday. The lions at Tama Zoological Park have struggled to cope with unusually high humidity during Japan’s latest heat wave.
Japan experienced its hottest summer on record last year, and temperatures in several parts of the country have reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) in recent weeks. The extreme conditions have prompted the use of a new phrase, “cruelly hot day.”
Since mid-July, 10 of the zoo’s 16 lions have displayed symptoms including loss of appetite and reduced activity, the zoo said in a statement. One lioness died last Tuesday, another on Friday and a third on Sunday.
"According to our veterinarian, the cause of the deaths is suspected to be heatstroke", the spokesperson told AFP. The lionesses showed signs of dehydration and multiple organ failure, she said.
"Even though lions are thought to be resistant to heat, zoo keepers have been strengthening countermeasures to cope with Japan's summer heat in recent years," the spokesperson said. "Heat here comes with high humidity; that is different from heat with dry air in Africa," she said. "But this summer, heat arrived suddenly after the rainy season was over" in late July, she said.
Tokyo’s heat wave last month
(Photo: REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon)
The zoo is now intensifying its cooling measures by spraying water, improving ventilation and installing localized air-conditioning units, the spokesperson said. Several other lions remain under medical supervision and are receiving treatment.
Japan’s Fire and Disaster Management Agency said nearly 18,600 people were taken to hospitals with heatstroke between July 20 and 26. Forty-five of them died.