Overview
- Tama Zoo said three female lions died over the past week and necropsies found dehydration and multiple organ failure that the treating veterinarian says is consistent with heatstroke.
- Several other lions showed loss of appetite and lethargy since mid-July and the zoo closed the lion enclosure on July 23 after multiple animals fell ill.
- Zoo staff have isolated and are treating multiple animals and the enclosure remains closed while investigators and veterinarians monitor the herd.
- Officials and conservation groups note Tokyo’s hot, humid conditions stress lions differently than the dry heat of the African savanna because high humidity hampers cooling.
- The deaths raise unresolved questions about whether enclosure design or husbandry measures failed to protect the animals and could prompt reviews of heat-mitigation practices at zoos.