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A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was obliged to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still uncertain, following monetary problems.

The private wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei ceased operations over the past weekend.

In a online announcement, the establishment explained 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 put down “following a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The staff and I are heartbroken,” commented the facility’s manager.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a lion park under different management, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant monetary input,” the director explained.

In a subsequent announcement, the sanctuary confirmed that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were not treatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the manager remarked.

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

“A several interested parties have expressed interest in acquiring the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Although the window is short and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing our utmost to explore this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “feasible or compassionate alternative” due to their advanced age, the number of cats involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by responses from members of the public, requesting a reprieve for the other big cats, while past workers expressed hope that the sanctuary would rethink the decision to euthanise them.

The operator mentioned that among the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also encountered hostile and abusive remarks.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we ask for kindness and decency as we navigate this tragic circumstance.”

The property owner declined to comment.

The government department clarified that the determination to humanely kill the cats rested with the owners, and that it had been informed of the plan.

A high-ranking officer commented that euthanasia had to be carried out ethically, and in compliance with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to confirm this is done appropriately,” the spokesperson said. “We are assured that the establishment continues to satisfy its wildlife protection and security requirements.”

The sanctuary attained a degree of notoriety in the early part of the century when it was shown on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it soon faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was killed by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary repeatedly experienced economic issues and staffing problems, and had multiple owners multiple times. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries directed the park to shut down until the habitats were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.