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A struggling wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was compelled to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

The private wildlife sanctuary in the northern town of Whangārei closed its doors over the past weekend.

In a online post, the facility explained that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a tough decision made by the landowner.”

“There were no real options left. The team and I are devastated,” commented the sanctuary’s operator.

“Although it might potentially continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant capital investment,” the operator added.

In a recent announcement, the park confirmed that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were declining. These choices were made with deep care and consideration,” the manager remarked.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the other five lions, which the sanctuary had previously indicated would be put down.

“A few individuals have expressed interest in acquiring the property and providing for the lions. While the window is short and the situation remain unclear, we are doing our utmost to investigate this possibility and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “feasible or humane choice” due to their age, the group size involved, and their demanding care.

The sanctuary’s updates were filled with comments from the community, begging for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed desire that the sanctuary would rethink the course of action to end their lives.

The director mentioned that among the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also received threatening and abusive messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she said. “We understand that passions are strong, but we request consideration and courtesy as we navigate this devastating circumstance.”

The landowner refused to comment.

The regulatory body indicated that the decision to euthanise the cats lay with the landowners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A deputy director commented that humane killing had to be performed compassionately, and in line with animal protection legislation.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to ensure this is done appropriately,” the spokesperson said. “We are assured that the facility continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and enclosure obligations.”

The sanctuary achieved minor fame in the early 2000s when it featured on a broadcast series about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a keeper was mauled to death by a big cat while carrying out duties.

The park repeatedly ran into financial trouble and employment issues, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the regulatory body ordered the facility to close until the facilities were improved. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.