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A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to put down two of its older lions, with the fate of the other five lions still undecided, following financial difficulties.

The private wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei ceased operations over the weekend.

In a online update, the facility explained that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “after a challenging decision made by the landowner.”

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

“While it could possibly continue as a lion park under new ownership, such a future would require not only the purchase of the property but substantial financial backing,” the operator noted.

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

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were not treatable and were declining. These actions were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the operator stated.

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

“A few individuals have shown interest in buying the facility and continuing to care for the lions. While the window is short and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing our utmost to explore this option and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “practical or humane choice” due to their advanced age, the number of cats involved, and their demanding care.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with messages from the community, pleading for a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while past workers expressed optimism that the sanctuary would review the decision to put them down.

The director noted that alongside the supportive comments and messages of sorrow, she had also encountered menacing and abusive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We understand that passions are strong, but we appeal for compassion and respect as we manage this devastating predicament.”

The landowner refused to comment.

The regulatory body stated that the decision to put down the cats lay with the owners, and that it had been notified of the intention.

A deputy director stated that humane killing had to be carried out humanely, and in line with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be onsite to confirm this is done properly,” the official stated. “We are satisfied that the operation continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and enclosure obligations.”

The sanctuary achieved some recognition in the early 2000s when it appeared on a TV program about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it quickly faced challenges. In 2009, a staff member was mauled to death by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The facility often ran into monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries directed the establishment to shut down until the facilities were improved. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.