This article doesn’t go into too much detail, but I’ve been to this Zoo/ Lion exhibit, and it’s somewhat easy to see what might have happened.
If you look at the google maps satellite view, there’s a large area for the lions, including some trees with shade, and a pond to cool off in (You can ride a bus through this place which is fun!).
However if you look at the lion house to the top right of the exhibit, you can see these small squares, which are actually tiny concrete pens (basically a jail cell), where they have a couple lions each that are open to the sun with no shade, that would completely trap any heat. I’m assuming the lions that passed away where the ones stuck in these cells.
Unfortunately, Japan has a basically non-existent view of animal welfare. If anything I would describe the Tama zoo here as being one of the better zoos (at least for some animals), if you go to the Ueno zoo it’s very sad to see how the animals are treated :(
This article doesn’t go into too much detail, but I’ve been to this Zoo/ Lion exhibit, and it’s somewhat easy to see what might have happened.
If you look at the google maps satellite view, there’s a large area for the lions, including some trees with shade, and a pond to cool off in (You can ride a bus through this place which is fun!).
However if you look at the lion house to the top right of the exhibit, you can see these small squares, which are actually tiny concrete pens (basically a jail cell), where they have a couple lions each that are open to the sun with no shade, that would completely trap any heat. I’m assuming the lions that passed away where the ones stuck in these cells.
Unfortunately, Japan has a basically non-existent view of animal welfare. If anything I would describe the Tama zoo here as being one of the better zoos (at least for some animals), if you go to the Ueno zoo it’s very sad to see how the animals are treated :(