Three lions die of suspected heatstroke at Tokyo zoo as Japan swelters

Most of the zoo’s 16 lions have struggled to cope with high humidity this summer

Three lions from a Tokyo zoo have died from suspected heatstroke and others are undergoing treatment, a spokesperson said on Tuesday, as the big cats struggle in Japan’s high levels of humidity.

Japan sweltered through its hottest summer on record last year and parts of the country have hit 40C in recent weeks, qualifying for the new “cruelly hot day” designation.