Three lions die of heatstroke at Tokyo zoo

Three lionesses at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo died last week from suspected heatstroke, with several others among the zoo's remaining lions still under treatment. The zoo said 10 of its 16 lions had shown symptoms such as loss of appetite and decreased activity since mid-July, and a veterinarian attributed the deaths to heatstroke, citing observed dehydration and multiple organ failure. The zoo has suspended its lion exhibit and is taking measures including sprinkling water, improving ventilation and installing spot air conditioners. The deaths come amid a severe heat wave in Japan, where parts of the country have reached 40 degrees Celsius, prompting the government's new cruelly hot day designation, and where nearly 18,600 people were hospitalized for heatstroke between July 20 and 26, with 45 dead on arrival.