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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has announced it was compelled to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still undecided, following financial difficulties.

The private wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei shut down over the weekend.

In a online announcement, the facility indicated that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a tough decision made by the landowner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The staff and I are devastated,” stated the park’s director.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a lion park under new ownership, such a future would require not only the purchase of the land but substantial capital investment,” the manager explained.

In a subsequent announcement, the park announced that two of its lions had been put down.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with profound consideration and thoughtfulness,” the director said.

However, there was a “ray of hope” for the other five lions, which the facility had earlier indicated would be humanely killed.

“A handful of parties have shown interest in purchasing the property and continuing to care for the lions. Even though the timeframe is short and the conditions remain uncertain, we are doing our utmost to investigate this option and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or humane option” due to their elderly status, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with comments from members of the public, requesting a reprieve for the remaining lions, while former staff members expressed desire that the sanctuary would review the decision to end their lives.

The manager stated that amid the supportive comments and messages of sorrow, she had also received menacing and abusive remarks.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she commented. “We understand that passions are strong, but we appeal for consideration and courtesy as we navigate this devastating situation.”

The property owner refused to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the determination to euthanise the cats lay with the landowners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A high-ranking officer commented that putting down had to be conducted ethically, and in line with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be on location to confirm this is done properly,” the official noted. “We are assured that the facility continues to meet its animal welfare and containment responsibilities.”

The facility gained a degree of notoriety in the early part of the century when it appeared on a television show about a famous animal trainer.

However, it rapidly faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was killed by a white tiger while carrying out duties.

The sanctuary often ran into economic issues and staffing problems, and switched proprietors on several occasions. In 2014, the regulatory body instructed the facility to shut down until the enclosures were improved. It resumed operations in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.