Three lions die in zoo as Japan battles extreme heat
Three female lions have died at Tokyo's Tama Zoological Park due to suspected heat-related illness during an intense summer heatwave in Japan. The zoo is currently providing medical care to other lions showing signs of heat stress.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the increasing impact of extreme weather events on wildlife and the challenges zoos face in protecting animals from climate-related risks.
Image source, Getty Images Image caption, Luena, 15, was one of three female lions that died within a week in Tama Zoo
Three female lions at a Tokyo zoo have died of suspected heat-related illness, as Japan battles punishing summer temperatures.
The three lions died within a week at the Tama Zoological Park in western Tokyo. Autopsies show that the lions, aged three to 15, had suffered from dehydration and multiple organ failure - suggesting heat was the cause, said the zoo.
"This is the first time we've experienced anything like this. Last year was also hot, but none of our lions fell ill like this," Miwa, Kosaka, a zoo representative, told the BBC.
Japan's summers are getting hotter and more dangerous, with some cities seeing several "cruelly hot days" - a term used for days when temperatures rise above 40C.
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