This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: When people think about climate change and animals, they might picture melting sea ice, drought-stricken landscapes or species struggling in the wild. Far less attention is given to the animals living in our care.
Yet as heat waves become more frequent, intense and unpredictable, zoos may be facing one of the biggest animal welfare challenges of the coming decades. The recent deaths of three lions at Tama Zoo in Japan during a heat wave that reached over 40°C (104°F) have brought this issue into sharp focus. Investigations are ongoing, but the incident raises an important question: Do we understand how animals will—or won't—cope with heat in a rapidly changing climate?
Many people are surprised to learn a lion can be vulnerable to high temperatures. After all, lions evolved in Africa and are often associated with hot, arid landscapes. But this assumption oversimplifies how animals experience heat.
Temperature is only one part of the story. Humidity can play an equally important role. Lions, like many mammals, do not sweat as effectively as humans do.
Instead, they seek shade, move less and pant to dissipate heat. High humidity can make these cooling strategies less effective. Perhaps surprisingly, humans are often more heat-tolerant than lions.
Our ability to sweat over most of the body makes evaporative cooling remarkably effective, allowing us to remain active in conditions that may force lions to rest and seek shade. In the wild, lions may have more choices available to help them remain cooler. Wild lions can move across large landscapes, select favorable microclimates, rest in shaded areas and adjust their activity patterns—none of which may be feasible in a zoo.
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