More than 30 squirrels have died at Tokyo’s Inokashira Park Zoo since early December. Zoo authorities opened an investigation on Tuesday into suspicion of an error in the treatment against parasites.
According to the France-Presse news agency, insecticide was sprayed on squirrel nests on December 4 as a preventive measure. The animals were also injected with anti-parasitic medication, one of which died shortly after.
More deaths were recorded in the following days, bringing the number to 31 out of a total of 40 squirrels at the zoo.
In a statement, the Japanese zoo regretted the incident and said “the possibility of poisoning cannot be excluded.”
“We are investigating the cause of the deaths and observing the conditions of the survivors. Our sincere apologies,” the same note reads.
The drug in question had previously been used at the Inokashira Park Zoo.
Source: TSF
