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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the remaining five lions still unclear, following monetary problems.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

In a social media announcement, the facility clarified 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 put down “following a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

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

“Although it might possibly continue as a wildlife attraction under new ownership, such a future would require not only the purchase of the property but considerable capital investment,” the operator noted.

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

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were incurable and were declining. These actions were made with profound consideration and deliberation,” the operator stated.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in buying the property and providing for the lions. Although the deadline is tight and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing our utmost to investigate this possibility and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “practical or compassionate alternative” due to their age, the number of cats involved, and their demanding care.

The park’s announcements were overwhelmed by responses from concerned citizens, pleading for a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while past workers expressed desire that the sanctuary would rethink the plan to put them down.

The operator mentioned that alongside the sympathetic words and messages of sorrow, she had also received menacing and abusive messages.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she commented. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we request kindness and courtesy as we handle this tragic circumstance.”

The property owner chose not to respond.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the determination to put down the big cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A deputy director commented that humane killing had to be performed humanely, and in accordance with animal welfare law.

“An animal welfare inspector will be present to confirm this is done properly,” the official noted. “We are satisfied that the facility continues to fulfill 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 celebrity big cat handler.

However, it soon ran into problems. In 2009, a handler was killed by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary repeatedly ran into monetary difficulties and workforce challenges, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the regulatory body instructed the park to shut down until the habitats were upgraded. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.