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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to put down two of its elderly lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still uncertain, following economic struggles.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

In a social media update, the establishment indicated that its proprietor had listed the land 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,” stated the facility’s manager.

“While it could potentially continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the purchase of the property but significant monetary input,” the director added.

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

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were declining. These choices were made with profound consideration and deliberation,” the director remarked.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in buying the property and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the window is short and the circumstances remain unresolved, we are doing our utmost to investigate this opportunity and maintain optimism.”

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

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with comments from members of the public, begging for a reprieve for the other big cats, while former staff members expressed desire that the sanctuary would rethink the course of action to end their lives.

The manager mentioned that alongside the supportive comments and messages of sorrow, she had also encountered menacing and offensive comments.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we request consideration and respect as we navigate this devastating circumstance.”

The property owner chose not to respond.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the decision to humanely kill the cats was the responsibility of the landowners, and that it had been notified of the intention.

A high-ranking officer commented that putting down had to be carried out humanely, and in line with wildlife regulations.

“An compliance official will be present to verify this is done correctly,” the representative stated. “We are assured that the establishment continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and security obligations.”

The facility gained some recognition in the early 2000s when it featured on a television show about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it soon faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was killed by a white tiger while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary frequently ran into monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the regulatory body directed the facility to cease operations until the enclosures were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.