A Jap zoo has introduced a probe after it seems that massacring 31 of its 40 squirrels by way of mistake with therapies supposed to kill parasites, officers stated.
Keepers on the Inokashira Park Zoo in Tokyo injected the animals with anti-parasitic medication on December 4 as a part of a sanitary precaution, whilst additionally spraying insecticide over their nest packing containers.
One of the most bushy-tailed rodents—a not unusual Jap squirrel—died quickly afterwards and over next days increasingly more perished, with 31 fatalities recorded by way of Monday morning.
“The opportunity of drug-induced poisoning can’t be denied,” the zoo admitted in a observation Monday.
“We’re lately investigating the reason for their deaths and gazing the prerequisites of surviving people,” they stated, including {that a} pathological exam of the corpses used to be underway.
“We provide our private apologies”, the observation stated.
The zoo insisted the medicine in query had been utilized in correct doses and were administered sooner than.
The ability has been wiped clean and vetted for protection, the zoo stated, and the surviving squirrels had been again on show.
Japan is house to 3 varieties of the tree-dwelling creatures: the Jap squirrel, the Jap flying squirrel and the Jap large flying squirrel.
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This article used to be first revealed by way of Phys.org on 12 December 2023. Lead Symbol: Inokashira Park Zoo in Tokyo is investigating the dying of 31 squirrels after keepers injected the animals with anti-parasitic medication and sprayed insecticide over their nest packing containers as a part of a sanitary precaution.