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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was compelled to humanely kill 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 past weekend.

In a online announcement, the establishment explained that its proprietor had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “after a tough decision made by the property owner.”

“There were no real options left. The team and I are heartbroken,” commented the park’s director.

“Although it might possibly continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the purchase of the property but substantial monetary input,” the manager explained.

In a later statement, the facility announced that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were worsening. These actions were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the operator remarked.

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

“A handful of parties have shown interest in acquiring the property and continuing to care for the lions. While the timeframe is limited and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing our utmost to investigate this possibility and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “viable or compassionate choice” due to their elderly status, the quantity of animals involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were filled with comments from concerned citizens, pleading for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed hope that the park would review the course of action to euthanise them.

The manager stated that among the kind messages and messages of sorrow, she had also been subjected to hostile and offensive messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she said. “We understand that feelings are intense, but we appeal for consideration and decency as we manage this heartbreaking circumstance.”

The proprietor chose not to respond.

The regulatory body indicated that the choice to euthanise the big cats was the responsibility of the landowners, and that it had been advised of the plan.

A deputy director stated that euthanasia had to be carried out compassionately, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be onsite to verify this is done properly,” the representative said. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to satisfy its wildlife protection and enclosure responsibilities.”

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

However, it soon faced challenges. In 2009, a keeper was mauled to death by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary repeatedly ran into financial trouble and workforce challenges, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the regulatory body directed the park to cease operations until the facilities were improved. It resumed operations in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.