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A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary 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 undecided, following financial difficulties.

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

In a social media announcement, 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 “after a tough decision made by the property owner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The employees and I are heartbroken,” stated the sanctuary’s operator.

“Although it might potentially continue as a lion park under different management, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant capital investment,” the operator explained.

In a subsequent announcement, the sanctuary verified that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were declining. These actions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the manager remarked.

However, there was a “ray of hope” for the remaining five lions, which the sanctuary had previously indicated would be humanely killed.

“A several interested parties have expressed interest in acquiring the establishment and providing for the lions. Although the deadline is tight and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing our utmost to investigate this opportunity and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “feasible or compassionate option” due to their advanced age, the number of cats involved, and their demanding care.

The park’s announcements were filled with comments from concerned citizens, requesting a reprieve for the remaining lions, while ex-employees expressed desire that the park would review the plan to put them down.

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

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We recognize that feelings are intense, but we ask for consideration and respect as we handle this tragic situation.”

The property owner declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries indicated that the choice to humanely kill the cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been advised of the course of action.

A deputy director stated that putting down had to be carried out ethically, and in line with wildlife regulations.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to ensure this is done properly,” the spokesperson noted. “We are confident that the establishment continues to meet its wildlife protection and security obligations.”

The sanctuary attained some recognition in the early 2000s when it featured on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly faced challenges. In 2009, a staff member was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The park often ran into economic issues and staffing problems, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries instructed the park to close until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.