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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has stated 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 privately owned wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

In a social media announcement, the establishment indicated that its proprietor had listed the land 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 landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The team and I are deeply saddened,” stated the park’s director.

“Although it might potentially continue as a wildlife attraction under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant capital investment,” the operator explained.

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

“We had to part with Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were untreatable and were declining. These choices were made with deep care and deliberation,” the director said.

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

“A handful of parties have shown interest in acquiring the establishment and providing for the lions. While the window is limited and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to investigate this possibility and maintain optimism.”

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

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with comments from the community, pleading for a second chance for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed hope that the facility would rethink the course of action to put them down.

The operator stated that amid the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also encountered threatening and insulting comments.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she commented. “We understand that feelings are intense, but we appeal for kindness and courtesy as we navigate this devastating situation.”

The property owner refused to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the determination to euthanise the big cats lay with the landowners, and that it had been notified of the course of action.

A senior official commented that putting down had to be carried out compassionately, and in compliance with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be on location to ensure this is done appropriately,” the official noted. “We are assured that the facility continues to fulfill its animal welfare and containment requirements.”

The park attained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it appeared on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a keeper was fatally attacked by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary often encountered financial trouble and employment issues, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency instructed the facility to shut down until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.