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

The private wildlife reserve in the northern city of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

In a social media announcement, 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 “following a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“There were no real options left. The team and I are deeply saddened,” stated the facility’s manager.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a big cat facility under different management, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant financial backing,” the manager explained.

In a recent update, the park verified that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were incurable and were deteriorating. These actions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the operator remarked.

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

“A several interested parties have shown interest in buying the establishment and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the window is short and the circumstances remain uncertain, we are doing our utmost to pursue this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “viable or ethical choice” due to their age, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.

The park’s announcements were overwhelmed by messages from concerned citizens, begging for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed desire that the facility would rethink the course of action to euthanise them.

The manager noted that alongside the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also encountered threatening and offensive remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she remarked. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we request consideration and decency as we navigate this devastating circumstance.”

The proprietor refused to comment.

The ministry for primary industries clarified that the determination to put down the lions lay with the proprietors, and that it had been advised of the course of action.

A senior official stated that humane killing had to be conducted ethically, and in accordance with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be onsite to verify this is done correctly,” the representative noted. “We are confident that the facility continues to satisfy its animal welfare and enclosure requirements.”

The sanctuary achieved a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it was shown on a TV program about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it rapidly faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was fatally attacked by a white tiger while carrying out duties.

The park repeatedly experienced economic issues and employment issues, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency directed the facility to shut down until the habitats were improved. It resumed operations in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.