Statement: Deaths of Three Lions in Japan

Mugi, Ichigo, and Luena were born, lived, and died in confinement, deprived of everything that makes life worth living for a wild animal. Taking care of lions and other animals during a heatwave is the most basic job a zoo has to do, yet the animals pay the price when facilities fail. This tragedy is a stark reminder that zoos can never provide wild animals with the control and freedom they need to protect themselves. Zoos are not rescues or sanctuaries; they exist to display animals for profit, not to put animals’ needs first.