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A struggling wildlife park in New Zealand has stated it was forced to euthanise two of its senior lions, with the fate of the other five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a social media update, the establishment indicated that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The team and I are devastated,” said the park’s director.

“While it could possibly 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 director noted.

In a later announcement, the sanctuary announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We had to part with Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were deteriorating. These actions were made with profound consideration and consideration,” the operator said.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in acquiring the establishment and continuing to care for the lions. While the timeframe is tight and the conditions remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to investigate this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “feasible or compassionate alternative” due to their age, the group size involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with comments from the community, begging for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed desire that the facility would reconsider the decision to put them down.

The manager stated that alongside the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also encountered hostile and abusive remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she remarked. “We recognize that feelings are intense, but we request consideration and decency as we manage this devastating situation.”

The landowner chose not to respond.

The regulatory body indicated that the choice to euthanise the cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A high-ranking officer stated that putting down had to be performed compassionately, and in line with wildlife regulations.

“An compliance official will be on location to ensure this is done correctly,” the official noted. “We are confident that the facility continues to satisfy its animal care and security responsibilities.”

The park attained a degree of notoriety in the early part of the century when it appeared on a television show about a famous animal trainer.

However, it soon encountered difficulties. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a white tiger while cleaning its enclosure.

The park frequently ran into financial trouble and staffing problems, and changed ownership multiple times. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries directed the facility to cease operations until the enclosures were modernized. It resumed operations in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.