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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to put down two of its elderly lions, with the fate of the remaining five lions still uncertain, following economic struggles.

The private wildlife sanctuary in the northern city of Whangārei ceased operations over the past weekend.

In a online post, the establishment explained that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“There were no real options left. The team and I are deeply saddened,” commented the park’s director.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial capital investment,” the manager explained.

In a subsequent announcement, the facility announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We had to part with Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were worsening. These decisions were made with deep care and consideration,” the director stated.

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

“A handful of parties have indicated willingness in buying the property and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the deadline is short and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to investigate this opportunity and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “viable or humane option” due to their advanced age, the number of cats involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with comments from the community, pleading for a second chance for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed desire that the facility would rethink the plan to euthanise them.

The director stated that among the kind messages and expressions of sympathy, she had also received menacing and insulting remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she commented. “We understand that passions are strong, but we request compassion and decency as we manage this devastating situation.”

The proprietor refused to comment.

The ministry for primary industries clarified that the decision to humanely kill the lions was the responsibility of the proprietors, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A senior official explained that putting down had to be performed humanely, and in compliance with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to ensure this is done correctly,” the official said. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to fulfill its animal welfare and containment requirements.”

The sanctuary achieved minor fame in the early 2000s when it was shown on a broadcast series about a famous animal trainer.

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

The sanctuary repeatedly experienced monetary difficulties and workforce challenges, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency instructed the facility to shut down until the enclosures were improved. It reopened in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.