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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

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

In a social media post, the establishment explained that its proprietor had listed the land up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

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

“Even though it may potentially continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the purchase of the property but significant financial backing,” the operator explained.

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

“Yesterday we said goodbye Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the operator remarked.

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

“A few individuals have indicated willingness in acquiring the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the timeframe is limited and the situation remain uncertain, we are doing everything we can to pursue this option and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “viable or ethical option” due to their advanced age, the quantity of animals involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with responses from concerned citizens, requesting a reprieve for the other big cats, while past workers expressed desire that the facility would review the course of action to put them down.

The manager noted that amid the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also encountered threatening and offensive messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she remarked. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we request kindness and decency as we navigate this tragic predicament.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries clarified that the determination to euthanise the big cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been advised of the course of action.

A senior official explained that humane killing had to be conducted ethically, and in line with animal protection legislation.

“An compliance official will be on location to verify this is done properly,” the official noted. “We are confident that the establishment continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and containment requirements.”

The sanctuary achieved some recognition in the early 2000s when it was shown on a television show about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a handler was killed by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The park repeatedly experienced monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency instructed the establishment to shut down until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.