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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was forced to euthanise two of its elderly lions, with the fate of the remaining five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

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

In a social media announcement, the facility explained that its proprietor had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“There were no real options left. The team and I are devastated,” commented the sanctuary’s operator.

“While it could possibly continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the property but substantial monetary input,” the manager explained.

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

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with profound consideration and thoughtfulness,” the operator stated.

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

“A several interested parties have expressed interest in buying the establishment and maintaining care for the lions. While the deadline is tight and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing all we can to explore this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “feasible or compassionate option” due to their age, the group size involved, and their demanding care.

The facility’s posts were overwhelmed by comments from the community, requesting a second chance for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed desire that the park would rethink the plan to put them down.

The manager noted that among the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also been subjected to hostile and abusive remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she commented. “We understand that emotions are high, but we appeal for compassion and courtesy as we manage this devastating situation.”

The property owner refused to comment.

The government department stated that the decision to humanely kill the big cats lay with the proprietors, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A high-ranking officer stated that putting down had to be conducted compassionately, and in line with animal protection legislation.

“An regulatory officer will be present to ensure this is done appropriately,” the representative said. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to meet its wildlife protection and enclosure requirements.”

The sanctuary gained minor fame in the early 2000s when it was shown on a broadcast series about a famous animal trainer.

However, it rapidly ran into problems. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary repeatedly encountered financial trouble and staffing problems, and switched proprietors repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency ordered the facility to close until the facilities were modernized. It resumed operations in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.