Last week, six elephants became ill one after another at the zoo "Ichihara Elephant Country" in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, which raised the largest number of 12 elephants in Japan, and two died on the 16th.

The cause is unknown, and the garden is investigating it by dissecting it.

According to "Ichihara Elephant Country" in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, six elephants became ill one after another on the 14th.



All six had similar symptoms, such as loss of appetite, lack of water, lack of stool, and hunger.

In the garden, 6 animals were treated with intravenous drip and medication, but on the 16th, two females, a 30-year-old Puri and a 35-year-old minister, died.



This age is equivalent to 35 to 40 years old in humans.



For the other four elephants, some elephants temporarily showed severe symptoms, but all are now on a recovery trend.



The cause is unknown, and the garden is investigating it by dissecting it.



In "Ichihara Elephant Country", a flower stand was set up on the 17th to mourn the death of two elephants, and the person in charge said, "It has never been so many elephants get sick at once, and it was a big shock. I am receiving it. I would like to investigate the cause and do my best to protect the remaining elephants. "

Veterinarian "suspected addiction"

Mr. Shigehisa Kawakami, the director of Gunma Safari Park and a veterinarian who was contacted by "Ichihara Elephant Country", responded to an interview with NHK.



Mr. Kawakami said that after the first symptoms were confirmed on the elephants on the afternoon of the 14th, he was treated from that night. He seemed to have no appetite and had less movement. He responded by administering infusions and painkillers to supplement nutrition, "he recalled.



In addition, as a result of dissecting one dead animal, it was reported that bleeding was found in the intestine.



He added, "I suspect poisoning. It is unlikely that as many as six elephants will have the same symptoms unless they eat the same food at the same time."



Mr. Kawakami said, "It is very disappointing that two elephants died as a treatment. Other elephants are being treated and are currently recovering. From now on, I will study elephants professionally. I would like to ask an overseas university to inspect it and investigate the cause in detail. "

Visitor "I'm really shocked"

People who visited "Ichihara Elephant Country" heard voices mourning the death of two elephants, "Puri" and "Ministar".



A woman in her 40s who visited the park frequently and watched over the two elephants said, "I bought a passport for a year and came every month." Ministar "sees a soccer ball held in the nose and kicked at the show. It was very powerful and I loved it. "Pulley" was the most laid back and was fed by other elephants, but it became really solid after giving birth. Two of them died. I'm really shocked. I want you to play with the elephants who died earlier due to aging in heaven. "



Also, a man in his 50s who came to the park with his family said, "I knew that it was kept carefully, and I heard that the elephant itself is a long-lived animal, so I was surprised and at the same time very very. I'm sorry and lonely. I want you to spend a new life with your friends in heaven. "