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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still unclear, following monetary problems.

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

In a online post, the facility indicated that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” said the facility’s manager.

“Although it might possibly continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the property but considerable capital investment,” the operator added.

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

“Yesterday we said goodbye Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were not treatable and were worsening. These actions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the operator remarked.

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

“A several interested parties have indicated willingness in acquiring the facility and maintaining care for the lions. While the timeframe is limited and the situation remain unclear, we are doing all we can to investigate this option and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “practical or humane choice” due to their advanced age, the number of cats involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were filled with messages from concerned citizens, pleading for a second chance for the remaining lions, while ex-employees expressed desire that the park would rethink the decision to euthanise them.

The operator mentioned that alongside the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also received threatening and abusive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We recognize that emotions are high, but we appeal for compassion and decency as we handle this heartbreaking situation.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The government department stated that the decision to put down the lions lay with the owners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A deputy director stated that humane killing had to be conducted compassionately, and in line with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be present to verify this is done properly,” the official stated. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to fulfill its animal welfare and containment obligations.”

The facility attained some recognition in the early 2000s when it was shown on a television show about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it soon ran into problems. In 2009, a handler was fatally attacked by a big cat while carrying out duties.

The sanctuary repeatedly encountered financial trouble and staffing problems, and switched proprietors multiple times. In 2014, the regulatory body instructed the establishment to close until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.