Heatwave kills three Tokyo zoo lions
Three lions at a zoo in Tokyo have most likely died due to extreme heat, while other animals remain under observation, a zoo spokesperson said on Tuesday. The animals have struggled to cope with Japan's high levels of humidity, according to AFP.
After experiencing its hottest summer on record, Japan is facing another heatwave, with temperatures reaching 40°C in some areas in recent weeks — a threshold that has led to the introduction of a new term for an exceptionally severe hot day, CE Report quotes AGERPRES.
Since mid-July, 10 to 16 lions at Tama Zoological Park, west of Tokyo, showed symptoms including loss of appetite and reduced activity, and three of them died, the zoo said in a statement. The facility has temporarily closed the lion enclosure, where visitors normally viewed the animals from a "safari" bus.
"According to our veterinarian, the cause of death may have been heat shock," a zoo spokesperson told AFP, noting that symptoms of dehydration and multiple organ failure were observed.
"Although lions are considered animals that can tolerate heat, keepers have increased measures in recent years to combat Japan's summer temperatures. The heat here is accompanied by high humidity, which makes it different from Africa's dry heat," the spokesperson explained.
"But this summer arrived suddenly after the end of the rainy season," which concluded at the end of July, she added.
"We are continuing to implement heatwave measures: watering facilities, improving ventilation, and installing localized air-conditioning units," the spokesperson said, adding that several lions remain under medical observation.
Animal rights organization PETA expressed regret over the situation.
"Mugi, Ichigo, and Luena were born, lived, and died in captivity, deprived of everything that gives a wild animal's life meaning. Zoos are neither rescue centers nor sanctuaries; they exist to display animals for profit rather than prioritize their needs," PETA said in a statement.
Nearly 18,600 people were hospitalized due to heatstroke between July 20 and 26, with 45 people declared dead upon arrival at hospitals, according to Japan's Fire and Disaster Management Agency.
Japan records around 1,300 heat-related deaths every year and has set a goal of reducing that number by half by 2030.
Scientists say that human-caused climate change is increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events in Japan and other parts of the world.
The highest temperature ever recorded in Japan reached 41.8°C on August 5, 2025, in Isesaki, north of Tokyo.
Photo: Wikipedia
