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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was forced to euthanise two of its elderly lions, with the fate of the other five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

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

In a online post, the facility clarified 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 difficult decision made by the landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” stated the facility’s manager.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the purchase of the land but significant financial backing,” the manager added.

In a recent statement, the facility announced that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were not treatable and were worsening. These actions were made with profound consideration and consideration,” the director stated.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the remaining five lions, which the sanctuary had earlier indicated would be humanely killed.

“A several interested parties have indicated willingness in acquiring the property and continuing to care for the lions. While the window is short and the conditions remain unclear, we are doing our utmost to pursue this option and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or compassionate alternative” due to their age, the quantity of animals involved, and their complex needs.

The facility’s posts were filled with comments from concerned citizens, pleading for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed hope that the facility would review the decision to put them down.

The manager mentioned that alongside the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also received threatening and offensive remarks.

“This is deeply distressing,” she remarked. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we ask for compassion and decency as we navigate this devastating situation.”

The landowner refused to comment.

The ministry for primary industries indicated that the choice to humanely kill the lions lay with the landowners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A senior official explained that humane killing had to be carried out humanely, and in accordance with animal protection legislation.

“An regulatory officer will be present to verify this is done appropriately,” the official noted. “We are confident that the facility continues to satisfy its wildlife protection and security responsibilities.”

The park achieved a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it was shown on a television show about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it rapidly ran into problems. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The facility repeatedly ran into economic issues and employment issues, and switched proprietors multiple times. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries directed the facility to shut down until the facilities were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.