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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was compelled to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still undecided, following financial difficulties.

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

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

“There were no real options left. The staff and I are heartbroken,” commented the facility’s manager.

“While it could potentially continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but substantial financial backing,” the manager explained.

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

“We had to part with Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with deep care and thoughtfulness,” the manager said.

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

“A several interested parties have shown interest in purchasing the property and maintaining care for the lions. Although the timeframe is tight and the circumstances remain unresolved, we are doing all we can to investigate this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “viable or compassionate option” due to their age, the quantity of animals involved, and their demanding care.

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by responses from members of the public, requesting a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed optimism that the facility would review the course of action to put them down.

The director stated that among the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also been subjected to menacing and offensive messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she said. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we appeal for compassion and courtesy as we manage this heartbreaking situation.”

The property owner declined to comment.

The regulatory body indicated that the choice to euthanise the cats lay with the landowners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A high-ranking officer stated that humane killing had to be conducted compassionately, and in accordance with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be present to confirm this is done appropriately,” the representative said. “We are assured that the facility continues to meet its animal care and security responsibilities.”

The park achieved some recognition in the early 2000s when it appeared on a TV program about a celebrity big cat handler.

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

The sanctuary often experienced monetary difficulties and workforce challenges, and switched proprietors repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency directed the park to shut down until the enclosures were modernized. It reopened in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.