Mugi was only 3 years old when she stopped eating. A day later, she could no longer stand. Staff at Tama Zoological Park in Tokyo sprayed her with water, set up industrial fans, and administered fluids, liver tonics, and vitamins. Nothing was enough: she died on July 28, 2026.
Days later, Ichigo, 11, died on July 31. And on August 2, Luena, who was 15, passed away. Three lionesses, the same suspected cause: heatstroke. Of the zoo’s 16 lions, ten have shown loss of appetite and inactivity since mid-July, and the enclosure where safari-style buses once traveled has been closed to the public.
Japan is experiencing a historic heat wave, with temperatures reaching 40°C and a new weather category: ‘brutally hot day.’ Nearly 18,600 people were hospitalized due to the heat in just one week.