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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has stated it was compelled to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the fate of the other five lions still uncertain, following economic struggles.

The privately owned wildlife sanctuary in the northern city of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

In a social media announcement, the facility explained that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a tough decision made by the property owner.”

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

“While it could possibly continue as a lion park under different management, such a outcome would require not only the purchase of the land but considerable monetary input,” the manager noted.

In a subsequent update, the sanctuary announced 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 incurable and were declining. These actions were made with profound consideration and consideration,” the director stated.

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

“A handful of parties have shown interest in purchasing the establishment and maintaining care for the lions. Although the timeframe is limited and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing all we can to explore this opportunity and maintain optimism.”

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

The facility’s posts were flooded with comments from the community, pleading for a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while ex-employees expressed hope that the sanctuary would review the decision to put them down.

The operator stated that among the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also encountered menacing and offensive comments.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we ask for compassion and decency as we navigate this heartbreaking circumstance.”

The landowner chose not to respond.

The regulatory body stated that the choice to humanely kill the lions lay with the owners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A high-ranking officer commented that putting down had to be performed ethically, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

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

The sanctuary gained a degree of notoriety in the early part of the century when it featured on a television show about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it rapidly ran into problems. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary repeatedly experienced economic issues and staffing problems, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the regulatory body directed the park to close until the habitats were upgraded. It resumed operations in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.