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A struggling wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still uncertain, following monetary problems.

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

In a online post, the facility explained that its owner 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.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The employees and I are heartbroken,” stated the sanctuary’s operator.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a wildlife attraction under new ownership, such a future would require not only the purchase of the land but considerable financial backing,” the director added.

In a subsequent statement, the sanctuary verified that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“Yesterday we said goodbye two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were worsening. These decisions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the operator said.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in acquiring the property and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the timeframe is short and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to explore this option and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “viable or ethical option” due to their elderly status, the group size involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with messages from the community, pleading for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed optimism that the sanctuary would rethink the course of action to end their lives.

The manager mentioned that alongside the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to hostile and offensive comments.

“This is deeply distressing,” she remarked. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we ask for kindness and decency as we handle this heartbreaking predicament.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The regulatory body indicated that the determination to humanely kill the big cats lay with the proprietors, and that it had been informed of the plan.

A high-ranking officer stated that euthanasia had to be performed humanely, and in line with animal welfare law.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to verify this is done properly,” the spokesperson noted. “We are satisfied that the operation continues to meet its animal welfare and containment requirements.”

The sanctuary gained a degree of notoriety in the early part of the century when it appeared on a television show about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it rapidly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a big cat while carrying out duties.

The park repeatedly ran into monetary difficulties and workforce challenges, and switched proprietors repeatedly. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries instructed the park to shut down until the enclosures were improved. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.