Three Lions Die of Suspected Heat Stroke at Tokyo Zoo Amid Record Temperatures

Three lions have died of suspected heat stroke at a zoo in Tokyo after soaring mid-summer temperatures across Japan. Over the past week at Tokyo's Tama Zoological Park, three female lions, aged three to 15, have become the first heat-related deaths among the facility's lion population in its 62-year history. The lions, all born in the zoo, showed signs of severe dehydration and multiple organ failure in post-mortem examinations; however, the exact cause of death is still under investigation, the zoo said in a press release this week. As temperatures in Tokyo suddenly spiked in mid-July, the majority of the zoo's 16 lions began losing their appetite and became lethargic to the point of requiring treatment, the zoo said. While some lions recovered, others deteriorated to develop severe symptoms including the inability to stand and loss of consciousness, it said. "No other animals have shown any signs of illness, but the staff are managing the animals more carefully than before," an official at the Tama Zoo said. Treatment such as water-spraying and medicating through intravenous drips continues, the zoo said. Zoo officials suspended public viewing of the lions on July 23 as their condition deteriorated. It is not yet clear when the exhibit will reopen to the public. A zoo representative, Miwa Kosaka, told the BBC it was the first time the zoo had experienced heat-related deaths. "Last year was also hot, but none of our lions fell ill like this," Miwa Kosaka said. The BBC reported the timeline of the deaths starting with the youngest of the three lions named Mugi. The zoo said the three-year-old lion lost its appetite and a day later was unable to stand up. Tama Zoo staff said ventilation and water were provided to cool her down, and later subcutaneous fluids, liver tonics and vitamins were administered. She died on 28 July. Ichigo, an 11-year-old female lion, died on July 31. Luena, a 15-year-old female lion, died on Sunday, the BBC reported. Temperatures in the area rose to nearly 39 degrees Celsius in mid-to-late July, triggering heat stroke warnings. Lions are native to sub-Saharan Africa where they are accustomed to arid heat rather than Tokyo's combination of heat and high humidity, which makes it difficult for them to thermoregulate.