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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has stated it was obliged to put down two of its senior lions, with the fate of the remaining five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

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

In a social media update, the facility indicated that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a difficult decision made by the landowner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The team and I are heartbroken,” stated the facility’s manager.

“While it could possibly continue as a lion park under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the purchase of the property but considerable capital investment,” the operator explained.

In a subsequent announcement, the facility confirmed that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and consideration,” the manager stated.

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

“A handful of parties have shown interest in purchasing the property and continuing to care for the lions. Even though the window is short and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to investigate this possibility and maintain optimism.”

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

The sanctuary’s updates were filled with messages from the community, pleading for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed hope that the facility would rethink the plan to end their lives.

The operator stated that alongside the sympathetic words and messages of sorrow, she had also encountered threatening and abusive remarks.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We acknowledge that passions are strong, but we appeal for compassion and respect as we manage this devastating situation.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The government department indicated that the decision to humanely kill the lions lay with the proprietors, and that it had been advised of the plan.

A senior official stated that putting down had to be carried out humanely, and in compliance with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to verify this is done properly,” the spokesperson said. “We are confident that the facility continues to meet its wildlife protection and containment responsibilities.”

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

However, it soon encountered difficulties. In 2009, a staff member was mauled to death by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary often ran into monetary difficulties and employment issues, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the regulatory body instructed the establishment to close until the facilities were upgraded. It resumed operations in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.