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A struggling wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was compelled to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the fate of the remaining five lions still undecided, following monetary problems.

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

In a online post, the establishment explained that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“There were no real options left. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” commented the facility’s manager.

“While it could possibly continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the land but considerable capital investment,” the director noted.

In a later update, the facility announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were incurable and were declining. These actions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the operator remarked.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in purchasing the establishment and continuing to care for the lions. While the timeframe is tight and the situation remain uncertain, we are doing our utmost to explore this option and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “feasible or compassionate choice” due to their elderly status, the quantity of animals involved, and their demanding care.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with responses from the community, begging for a second chance for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed optimism that the sanctuary would rethink the plan to put them down.

The director noted that among the supportive comments and messages of sorrow, she had also encountered threatening and abusive remarks.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she commented. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we appeal for kindness and courtesy as we handle this heartbreaking circumstance.”

The proprietor refused to comment.

The regulatory body clarified that the decision to put down the cats was the responsibility of the proprietors, and that it had been informed of the plan.

A senior official stated that euthanasia had to be carried out compassionately, and in line with wildlife regulations.

“An compliance official will be present to verify this is done correctly,” the representative noted. “We are assured that the facility continues to meet its animal welfare and containment obligations.”

The park attained some recognition in the early 2000s when it was shown on a broadcast series about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it soon faced challenges. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a big cat while carrying out duties.

The facility repeatedly ran into financial trouble and workforce challenges, and had multiple owners multiple times. In 2014, the government agency directed the establishment to close until the habitats were improved. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.