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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the fate of the other five lions still unclear, following economic struggles.

The private wildlife reserve in the northern town of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

In a social media update, the establishment indicated that its proprietor 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 challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” commented the park’s director.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a lion park under new ownership, such a scenario would require not only the purchase of the land but significant financial backing,” the director explained.

In a subsequent announcement, the park announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“Yesterday we said goodbye Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were incurable and were declining. These actions were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the manager stated.

However, there was a “ray of hope” for the other five lions, which the sanctuary had earlier indicated would be humanely killed.

“A handful of parties have shown interest in purchasing the property and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the window is tight and the situation remain uncertain, we are doing everything we can to explore this possibility and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “feasible or compassionate option” due to their advanced age, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were filled with responses from concerned citizens, begging for a second chance for the other big cats, while former staff members expressed hope that the sanctuary would rethink the decision to put them down.

The director noted that among the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also received threatening and insulting comments.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we ask for kindness and courtesy as we manage this heartbreaking situation.”

The landowner declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the choice to humanely kill the lions lay with the landowners, and that it had been notified of the course of action.

A deputy director explained that humane killing had to be performed compassionately, and in compliance with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be onsite to ensure this is done appropriately,” the official stated. “We are satisfied that the facility continues to meet its animal welfare and enclosure requirements.”

The sanctuary gained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it appeared on a television show about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it soon ran into problems. In 2009, a staff member was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary frequently ran into monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency ordered the facility to close until the enclosures were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.