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A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still undecided, following monetary problems.

The private wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

In a social media update, the establishment clarified 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 euthanised “following a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The staff and I are devastated,” stated the facility’s manager.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a lion park under different management, such a future would require not only the purchase of the land but considerable monetary input,” the manager noted.

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

“Yesterday we said goodbye two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were incurable and were worsening. 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 park had previously indicated would be put down.

“A few individuals have expressed interest in acquiring the facility and providing for the lions. Even though the timeframe is limited and the conditions remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to investigate this option and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “viable or humane alternative” due to their age, the number of cats involved, and their demanding care.

The park’s announcements were flooded with messages from concerned citizens, requesting a reprieve for the other big cats, while past workers expressed desire that the facility would reconsider the decision to end their lives.

The director mentioned that alongside the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also been subjected to threatening and abusive remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she said. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we appeal for compassion and decency as we manage this devastating situation.”

The property owner chose not to respond.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the choice to humanely kill the big cats was the responsibility of the landowners, and that it had been notified of the course of action.

A senior official stated that euthanasia had to be conducted humanely, and in line with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be present to verify this is done properly,” the representative stated. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to meet its wildlife protection and enclosure obligations.”

The park gained some recognition in the early part of the century when it was shown on a broadcast series about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it rapidly faced challenges. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary repeatedly experienced economic issues and employment issues, and changed ownership multiple times. In 2014, the regulatory body directed the establishment to shut down until the facilities were improved. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.