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A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has announced it was compelled to put down two of its elderly lions, with the fate of the remaining five lions still unclear, following economic struggles.

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

In a social media announcement, 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 put down “following a difficult decision made by the landowner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The staff and I are heartbroken,” commented the park’s director.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the purchase of the land but considerable capital investment,” the operator noted.

In a later statement, the sanctuary verified that two of its lions had been put down.

“We had to part with Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had serious health conditions that were not treatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the operator said.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in purchasing the property and continuing to care for the lions. While the window is short and the conditions remain uncertain, we are doing our utmost to explore this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “viable or ethical alternative” due to their age, the number of cats involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with messages from members of the public, pleading for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed hope that the sanctuary would review the decision to euthanise them.

The director noted that alongside the sympathetic words and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to hostile and abusive comments.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she said. “We recognize that emotions are high, but we appeal for consideration and decency as we handle this devastating circumstance.”

The property owner declined to comment.

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

A senior official commented that euthanasia had to be conducted compassionately, and in compliance with animal welfare law.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to confirm this is done properly,” the spokesperson said. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to meet its wildlife protection and security requirements.”

The park gained minor fame in the early 2000s when it appeared on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

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

The park often ran into economic issues and workforce challenges, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries ordered the establishment to shut down until the facilities were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.