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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was forced to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still uncertain, following financial difficulties.

The private wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a social media post, the establishment 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 property owner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” commented the sanctuary’s operator.

“Although it might potentially continue as a lion park under different management, such a scenario would require not only the purchase of the property but substantial capital investment,” the director noted.

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

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were declining. These actions were made with profound consideration and deliberation,” the operator stated.

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

“A handful of parties have shown interest in acquiring the establishment and maintaining care for the lions. While the window is limited and the situation remain unclear, we are doing our utmost to investigate this option and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “feasible or ethical choice” due to their advanced age, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by comments from members of the public, begging for a stay of execution for the other big cats, while past workers expressed hope that the sanctuary would reconsider the decision to end their lives.

The operator noted that among the kind messages and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to threatening and offensive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she remarked. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we appeal for consideration and respect as we handle this devastating circumstance.”

The landowner declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the determination to humanely kill the cats was the responsibility of the landowners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A high-ranking officer explained that putting down had to be carried out compassionately, and in accordance with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be on location to ensure this is done correctly,” the representative stated. “We are assured that the facility continues to meet its animal care and security obligations.”

The facility achieved minor fame in the early 2000s when it was shown on a broadcast series about a well-known lion tamer.

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

The sanctuary often ran into monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the regulatory body directed the establishment to cease operations until the habitats were modernized. It resumed operations in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.