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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to euthanise two of its senior lions, with the outcome of the remaining five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

The private wildlife reserve in the northern city of Whangārei shut down over the past 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, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are heartbroken,” stated the park’s director.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a lion park under different management, such a future would require not only the purchase of the property but significant capital investment,” the director explained.

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

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and consideration,” the operator remarked.

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

“A few individuals have shown interest in purchasing the establishment and providing for the lions. Although the deadline is limited and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to pursue this possibility and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “feasible or compassionate alternative” due to their age, the group size involved, and their demanding care.

The facility’s posts were filled with comments from the community, begging for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed hope that the sanctuary would rethink the decision to put them down.

The operator noted that among the sympathetic words and messages of sorrow, she had also been subjected to hostile and abusive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We recognize that feelings are intense, but we appeal for kindness and courtesy as we manage this heartbreaking circumstance.”

The landowner chose not to respond.

The government department clarified that the determination to humanely kill the big cats was the responsibility of the proprietors, and that it had been informed of the course of action.

A deputy director commented that humane killing had to be performed compassionately, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to ensure this is done correctly,” the spokesperson stated. “We are satisfied that the operation continues to satisfy its wildlife protection and security requirements.”

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

However, it soon encountered difficulties. In 2009, a handler was killed by a big cat while carrying out duties.

The park often encountered monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and switched proprietors on several occasions. In 2014, the regulatory body ordered the establishment to close until the enclosures were improved. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.