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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was forced to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still uncertain, following monetary problems.

The private wildlife sanctuary in the northern city of Whangārei ceased operations over the weekend.

In a social media post, the establishment explained 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 put down “after a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The staff and I are deeply saddened,” commented the sanctuary’s operator.

“While it could possibly continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial monetary input,” the manager added.

In a later update, the facility announced that two of its lions had been put down.

“Yesterday we said goodbye Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were worsening. These decisions were made with profound consideration and consideration,” the director said.

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

“A handful of parties have indicated willingness in purchasing the facility and providing for the lions. While the window is short and the circumstances remain uncertain, we are doing all we can to explore this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

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

The facility’s posts were filled with messages from members of the public, begging for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed optimism that the sanctuary would rethink the decision to end their lives.

The manager noted that among the sympathetic words and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to threatening and insulting messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she said. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we appeal for compassion and decency as we manage this heartbreaking predicament.”

The landowner refused to comment.

The regulatory body indicated that the choice to humanely kill the cats was the responsibility of the landowners, and that it had been advised of the intention.

A senior official explained that euthanasia had to be conducted ethically, and in line with animal protection legislation.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to verify this is done appropriately,” the representative stated. “We are confident that the facility continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and enclosure obligations.”

The facility achieved a degree of notoriety in the early part of the century when it was shown on a broadcast series about a famous animal trainer.

However, it rapidly ran into problems. In 2009, a staff member was killed by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary often ran into economic issues and staffing problems, and changed ownership multiple times. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries instructed the facility to shut down until the habitats were improved. It resumed operations in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.