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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still uncertain, following monetary problems.

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

In a online announcement, the establishment indicated that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” stated the facility’s manager.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a big cat facility under different management, such a future would require not only the purchase of the property but considerable financial backing,” the manager added.

In a recent statement, the facility confirmed that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were untreatable and were declining. These actions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the director remarked.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the remaining five lions, which the facility had earlier indicated would be put down.

“A few individuals have expressed interest in acquiring the establishment and maintaining care for the lions. Although the window is limited and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing our utmost to pursue this option and keep hope alive.”

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

The park’s announcements were filled with comments from the community, pleading for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed hope that the park would reconsider the plan to euthanise them.

The operator noted that among the sympathetic words and expressions of sympathy, she had also encountered hostile and offensive remarks.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We understand that feelings are intense, but we appeal for kindness and decency as we handle this heartbreaking situation.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The government department indicated that the determination to humanely kill the big cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been advised of the plan.

A senior official explained that humane killing had to be carried out humanely, and in accordance with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be onsite to confirm this is done correctly,” the representative said. “We are confident that the operation continues to meet its animal care and enclosure responsibilities.”

The park gained some recognition in the early 2000s when it was shown on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it soon faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was killed by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The park repeatedly encountered financial trouble and workforce challenges, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the regulatory body instructed the facility to shut down until the habitats were modernized. It reopened in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.