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A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has announced it was forced to euthanise two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still undecided, following monetary problems.

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

In a social media announcement, the establishment clarified that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are heartbroken,” said the sanctuary’s operator.

“While it could potentially continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the land but considerable monetary input,” the director explained.

In a recent statement, the facility verified that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were declining. These actions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the director said.

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

“A few individuals have indicated willingness in buying the property and continuing to care for the lions. Even though the window is short and the situation remain unclear, we are doing all we can to explore this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “viable or compassionate alternative” due to their elderly status, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.

The park’s announcements were flooded with messages from the community, requesting a reprieve for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed desire that the park would review the plan to end their lives.

The manager mentioned that among the kind messages and messages of sorrow, she had also received hostile and offensive remarks.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we appeal for compassion and decency as we handle this devastating predicament.”

The property owner declined to comment.

The government department clarified that the choice to humanely kill the lions lay with the landowners, and that it had been advised of the intention.

A high-ranking officer stated that putting down had to be conducted ethically, and in line with animal welfare law.

“An animal welfare inspector will be onsite to ensure this is done correctly,” the spokesperson said. “We are confident that the operation continues to fulfill its animal welfare and containment obligations.”

The park gained some recognition in the early part of the century when it was shown on a television show about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it quickly ran into problems. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary repeatedly encountered financial trouble and workforce challenges, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency ordered the park to shut down until the habitats were modernized. It resumed operations in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.