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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to euthanise two of its older lions, with the outcome of the remaining five lions still undecided, following monetary problems.

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

In a online announcement, the establishment explained that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a difficult decision made by the landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are heartbroken,” stated the park’s director.

“While it could potentially continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the land but significant financial backing,” the operator explained.

In a later update, the park confirmed that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These actions were made with deep care and thoughtfulness,” the director remarked.

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

“A few individuals have expressed interest in buying the property and continuing to care for the lions. Although the window is limited and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to investigate this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “viable or humane choice” due to their age, the number of cats involved, and their complex needs.

The facility’s posts were overwhelmed by comments from concerned citizens, pleading for a stay of execution for the other big cats, while past workers expressed hope that the park would rethink the course of action to put them down.

The manager noted that amid the supportive comments and messages of sorrow, she had also been subjected to menacing and abusive comments.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she remarked. “We recognize that emotions are high, but we request kindness and courtesy as we manage this devastating predicament.”

The landowner declined to comment.

The regulatory body indicated that the choice to humanely kill the big cats rested with the owners, and that it had been informed of the plan.

A senior official commented that putting down had to be carried out ethically, and in compliance with animal protection legislation.

“An compliance official will be onsite to confirm this is done properly,” the official said. “We are assured that the establishment continues to fulfill its animal care and security requirements.”

The facility achieved minor fame in the early part of the century when it featured on a broadcast series about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly ran into problems. In 2009, a keeper was fatally attacked by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary frequently encountered monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency instructed the establishment to close until the enclosures were modernized. It reopened in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.