Three Lions Die at Tama Zoological Park

• At Tama Zoological Park, three lions died between 3 and 15 years old within a period of 28 days.
• The veterinarian said the deaths could be related to organ disorders; however, the exact cause of the deaths could not be determined based on the laboratory test results.
• The zoo said the lions were kept in accordance with the conditions for their species at the time of their deaths.

At Tama Zoological Park, three lions died, apparently due to heat. As the zoo explained to media, the animals’ deaths were likely caused by the temperature conditions; the zoo said the exact cause of the deaths could be determined based on the results of laboratory tests.

According to the materials, the lions were between three and 11 and 15 years old, and died within 28 days. The report notes that the growth of the body temperature was observed in all three lions, but the zoo said it could not be determined which particular factor may have caused the deaths based on the laboratory test results.

The zoo said that, on average, one of the lions had a body temperature of 10 out of 16 levels, which indicates a serious condition. The zoo added that veterinarians also observed that the animals’ internal organs showed signs of heat-related damage, while the same laboratory tests revealed signs of inflammation in the lungs and stomach.

According to the information, the zoo recorded the deaths of lions aged 23 years, which were reported to have occurred. It also said that the temperature conditions were as follows: in one case, the temperature exceeded 40C, and in another, the temperature was above 40C after the deaths. The zoo said that the cause of death could be related to the unusually hot weather: the report notes that the heat index was kokushobi or “cruelly hot day.” The data show that, in Japan, between 20 and 26 days were recorded, with 18,591 people affected through the deaths, with 45 fatalities.

The zoo also said that the Japan Fire and Disaster Management Agency uses the term “disaster” to describe such conditions. The report notes that, in the period from 30 to 47 prefectures, the temperature was higher than usual.

Tags: Aviation/Weather