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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was compelled to euthanise two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the remaining five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

The private wildlife sanctuary in the northern town of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a online announcement, the facility indicated that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The team and I are devastated,” said the sanctuary’s operator.

“Although it might possibly continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but considerable capital investment,” the operator explained.

In a subsequent statement, the sanctuary announced that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the director remarked.

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

“A few individuals have shown interest in buying the establishment and continuing to care for the lions. Although the deadline is short and the situation remain uncertain, we are doing everything we can to investigate this option and hold onto hope.”

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

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with messages from the community, pleading for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed optimism that the park would reconsider the course of action to put them down.

The director mentioned that alongside the supportive comments and words of condolence, she had also encountered hostile and abusive messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she said. “We understand that passions are strong, but we appeal for compassion and courtesy as we manage this tragic predicament.”

The property owner chose not to respond.

The ministry for primary industries indicated that the choice to put down the lions lay with the landowners, and that it had been informed of the course of action.

A high-ranking officer explained that humane killing had to be carried out humanely, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An compliance official will be present to verify this is done appropriately,” the official stated. “We are satisfied that the facility continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and enclosure obligations.”

The facility attained some recognition in the early 2000s when it appeared on a broadcast series about a famous animal trainer.

However, it rapidly ran into problems. In 2009, a staff member was killed by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The park often ran into economic issues and workforce challenges, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries directed the park to cease operations until the enclosures were improved. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.