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

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

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

“No viable alternatives remained. The team and I are deeply saddened,” commented the sanctuary’s operator.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a wildlife attraction under new ownership, such a scenario would require not only the purchase of the land but considerable monetary input,” the director added.

In a recent statement, the facility announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These choices were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the director said.

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

“A several interested parties have shown interest in buying the facility and maintaining care for the lions. While the timeframe is short and the situation remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to explore this option and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “practical or ethical alternative” due to their elderly status, the quantity of animals involved, and their specialized requirements.

The park’s announcements were overwhelmed by messages from the community, begging for a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while past workers expressed desire that the facility would rethink the decision to end their lives.

The operator noted that amid the kind messages and expressions of sympathy, she had also encountered threatening and abusive comments.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she said. “We understand that passions are strong, but we request kindness and courtesy as we handle this heartbreaking situation.”

The property owner refused to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the decision to humanely kill the cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been advised of the plan.

A senior official stated that humane killing had to be performed humanely, and in accordance with animal protection legislation.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to ensure this is done appropriately,” the official said. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to fulfill its animal welfare and containment responsibilities.”

The park gained minor fame in the early 2000s when it was shown on a TV program about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it rapidly faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was fatally attacked by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary repeatedly experienced financial trouble and employment issues, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries ordered the facility to cease operations until the enclosures were improved. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.