Penguins Die from Heatstroke at Japanese Zoo
Five Humboldt penguins could not survive the summer heat at the Toyama Municipal Family Park Zoo:
The first penguin to die was a 22-year-old female on Aug. 19. Through Sept. 21, four more penguins died — three females and one male, aged from four to 15 years. Dissections of the bodies determined that the penguins had died from dehydration and other symptoms of heatstroke.
Blood tests of the remaining eight penguins showed problems such as impaired kidney and liver function, leading the zoo to close the penguin exhibit from Sept. 22 and begin administering vitamins and taking other measures for the penguins’ health.
Records from the Toyama Local Meteorological Observatory show that on the days when the penguins died, the maximum recorded temperatures in the city were from 29.4 to 33.6 degrees. A zoo representative said that although the zoo had taken measures including setting up running water on the land part of the penguin exhibit and installing mist-blowing machines, these steps appear to have been insufficient for protecting the penguins from dehydration.
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