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A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to put down two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still undecided, following monetary problems.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei ceased operations over the weekend.

In a online announcement, the establishment clarified that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“There were no real options left. The employees and I are devastated,” commented the sanctuary’s operator.

“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 considerable capital investment,” the manager explained.

In a recent statement, the park confirmed that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had serious health conditions that were incurable and were worsening. These choices were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the manager said.

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

“A several interested parties have expressed interest in acquiring the property and continuing to care for the lions. Even though the deadline is short and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing all we can to investigate this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “practical or ethical choice” due to their advanced age, the number of cats involved, and their specialized requirements.

The park’s announcements were filled with comments from concerned citizens, begging for a stay of execution for the other big cats, while former staff members expressed desire that the facility would review the decision to put them down.

The operator stated that amid the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to menacing and insulting messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she remarked. “We understand that feelings are intense, but we appeal for kindness and decency as we navigate this devastating circumstance.”

The landowner declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries clarified that the decision to humanely kill the cats rested with the owners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A senior official explained that humane killing had to be performed humanely, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An regulatory officer will be onsite to ensure this is done appropriately,” the official noted. “We are confident that the establishment continues to fulfill its animal welfare and security obligations.”

The sanctuary achieved minor fame in the early 2000s when it appeared on a TV program about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a handler was fatally attacked by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The facility repeatedly encountered monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency directed the facility to shut down until the habitats were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.