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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was forced to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the fate of the other five lions still uncertain, following monetary problems.

The private wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a social media post, the facility explained that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a difficult decision made by the landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are devastated,” commented the park’s director.

“Although it might possibly continue as a big cat facility under different management, such a future would require not only the purchase of the land but considerable capital investment,” the operator noted.

In a subsequent statement, the park announced that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were incurable and were worsening. These decisions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the operator remarked.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the remaining five lions, which the sanctuary had previously indicated would be euthanised.

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in buying the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the deadline is short and the circumstances remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to investigate this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “practical or ethical choice” due to their age, the quantity of animals involved, and their complex needs.

The park’s announcements were overwhelmed by messages from members of the public, pleading for a second chance for the remaining lions, while past workers expressed desire that the sanctuary would review the course of action to put them down.

The manager mentioned that among the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also received menacing and abusive remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she remarked. “We acknowledge that passions are strong, but we appeal for compassion and decency as we handle this devastating predicament.”

The property owner declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the choice to euthanise the lions rested with the proprietors, and that it had been notified of the plan.

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

“An compliance official will be on location to confirm this is done correctly,” the official stated. “We are satisfied that the facility continues to satisfy its animal care and enclosure obligations.”

The sanctuary gained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it appeared on a television show about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it quickly faced challenges. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a big cat while carrying out duties.

The park repeatedly experienced financial trouble and employment issues, and switched proprietors on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency directed the establishment to shut down until the habitats were modernized. It reopened in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.