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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to euthanise two of its senior lions, with the fate of the other five lions still uncertain, following economic struggles.

The private wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei ceased operations over the past weekend.

In a online post, the facility clarified that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“There were no real options left. The team and I are deeply saddened,” stated the sanctuary’s operator.

“Although it might potentially continue as a wildlife attraction under new ownership, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial monetary input,” the operator added.

In a subsequent update, the facility confirmed that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“Yesterday we said goodbye Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These choices were made with deep care and consideration,” the director remarked.

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

“A few individuals have expressed interest in buying the property and providing for the lions. While the window is short and the conditions remain uncertain, we are doing everything we can to explore this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “practical or compassionate option” due to their advanced age, the group size involved, and their complex needs.

The park’s announcements were flooded with comments from the community, begging for a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while ex-employees expressed hope that the sanctuary would rethink the plan to end their lives.

The operator mentioned that among the kind messages and words of condolence, she had also encountered hostile and abusive remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she remarked. “We understand that feelings are intense, but we request compassion and decency as we handle this heartbreaking predicament.”

The landowner chose not to respond.

The regulatory body indicated that the choice to put down the lions was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been notified of the course of action.

A high-ranking officer commented that humane killing had to be conducted humanely, and in line with animal welfare law.

“An animal welfare inspector will be onsite to ensure this is done properly,” the official noted. “We are confident that the operation continues to meet its wildlife protection and security responsibilities.”

The sanctuary attained minor fame in the early part of the century when it appeared on a television show about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it quickly ran into problems. In 2009, a handler was killed by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The park often ran into economic issues and employment issues, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries instructed the establishment to close until the facilities were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.