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A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was compelled to euthanise two of its older lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still uncertain, following economic struggles.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei closed its doors over the past weekend.

In a online update, the establishment indicated that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a tough decision made by the landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The staff and I are devastated,” said the facility’s manager.

“Although it might possibly continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the purchase of the property but substantial capital investment,” the director added.

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

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were worsening. These actions were made with deep care and thoughtfulness,” the operator stated.

However, there was a “ray of hope” for the other five lions, which the park had previously indicated would be put down.

“A several interested parties have shown interest in acquiring the property and providing for the lions. Although the deadline is short and the conditions remain unclear, we are doing all we can to investigate this possibility and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or humane alternative” due to their advanced age, the number of cats involved, and their demanding care.

The facility’s posts were flooded with messages from the community, begging for a second chance for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed optimism that the sanctuary would rethink the plan to euthanise them.

The manager noted that among the kind messages and words of condolence, she had also received threatening and abusive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we request kindness and courtesy as we manage this tragic predicament.”

The landowner declined to comment.

The government department stated that the decision to humanely kill the big cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been informed of the plan.

A senior official explained that euthanasia had to be performed ethically, and in line with animal welfare law.

“An animal welfare inspector will be onsite to ensure this is done properly,” the representative stated. “We are assured that the facility continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and containment requirements.”

The sanctuary gained minor fame in the early 2000s when it appeared on a broadcast series about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a handler was killed by a white tiger while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary frequently ran into economic issues and staffing problems, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries instructed the facility to shut down until the enclosures were upgraded. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.