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A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has announced it was forced to euthanise two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the remaining five lions still undecided, following financial difficulties.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a social media announcement, the facility explained that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the group of 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 team and I are devastated,” stated the park’s director.

“Although it might potentially continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant monetary input,” the director noted.

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

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

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

“A handful of parties have indicated willingness in buying the property and maintaining care for the lions. Although the deadline is tight and the situation remain uncertain, we are doing all we can to explore this opportunity and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “viable or ethical option” due to their elderly status, the quantity of animals involved, and their demanding care.

The facility’s posts were flooded with comments from concerned citizens, pleading for a reprieve for the other big cats, while past workers expressed optimism that the sanctuary would rethink the plan to end their lives.

The manager stated that alongside the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also encountered hostile and insulting comments.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we ask for consideration and decency as we handle this heartbreaking situation.”

The proprietor chose not to respond.

The regulatory body stated that the choice to humanely kill the big cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A high-ranking officer explained that humane killing had to be carried out humanely, and in line with wildlife regulations.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to verify this is done properly,” the official noted. “We are satisfied that the facility continues to fulfill its animal welfare and enclosure responsibilities.”

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

However, it quickly ran into problems. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a white tiger while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary often encountered financial trouble and employment issues, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries ordered the establishment to cease operations until the enclosures were upgraded. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.