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A struggling wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was obliged to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still undecided, following financial difficulties.

The private wildlife reserve in the northern city of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a online post, the facility 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 put down “following a challenging decision made by the landowner.”

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

“Although it might possibly continue as a lion park under different management, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant capital investment,” the manager added.

In a recent announcement, the sanctuary verified that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These choices were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the director stated.

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

“A several interested parties have shown interest in purchasing the establishment and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the timeframe is tight and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing all we can to explore this possibility and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “practical or humane alternative” due to their advanced age, the quantity of animals involved, and their specialized requirements.

The facility’s posts were flooded with messages from concerned citizens, begging for a stay of execution for the other big cats, while ex-employees expressed optimism that the sanctuary would rethink the course of action to end their lives.

The director mentioned that among the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also encountered menacing and abusive comments.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We understand that emotions are high, but we request kindness and respect as we handle this heartbreaking situation.”

The landowner declined to comment.

The government department stated that the determination to humanely kill the cats was the responsibility of the proprietors, and that it had been informed of the course of action.

A high-ranking officer commented that humane killing had to be conducted compassionately, and in line with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to ensure this is done correctly,” the spokesperson said. “We are assured that the operation continues to satisfy its animal care and containment obligations.”

The park attained some recognition in the early 2000s when it appeared on a television show about a famous animal trainer.

However, it rapidly faced challenges. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The park frequently experienced financial trouble and workforce challenges, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries instructed the establishment to cease operations until the enclosures were improved. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.