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A struggling wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was obliged to put down two of its senior lions, with the fate of the other five lions still undecided, following financial difficulties.

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

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

“All possibilities were exhausted. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” commented the facility’s manager.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the purchase of the land but significant capital investment,” the director added.

In a subsequent statement, the facility confirmed that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were not treatable and were declining. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the manager said.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the other five lions, which the facility had previously indicated would be euthanised.

“A few individuals have expressed interest in purchasing the establishment and providing for the lions. Even though the timeframe is limited and the conditions remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to investigate this option and keep hope alive.”

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

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by comments from the community, begging for a stay of execution for the other big cats, while past workers expressed hope that the park would reconsider the plan to put them down.

The operator stated that amid the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also received menacing and abusive remarks.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she said. “We understand that feelings are intense, but we ask for consideration and decency as we handle this heartbreaking predicament.”

The proprietor refused to comment.

The regulatory body indicated that the choice to put down the big cats lay with the proprietors, and that it had been advised of the plan.

A senior official explained that humane killing had to be conducted humanely, and in line with wildlife regulations.

“An compliance official will be on location to verify this is done correctly,” the spokesperson noted. “We are satisfied that the operation continues to satisfy its animal care and enclosure responsibilities.”

The facility attained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it was shown on a TV program about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it quickly faced challenges. In 2009, a staff member was mauled to death by a big cat while carrying out duties.

The park frequently ran into economic issues and employment issues, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries ordered the park to cease operations until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.