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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was compelled to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

The private wildlife reserve in the northern town of Whangārei ceased operations over the past weekend.

In a social media update, the establishment indicated that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a tough decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are devastated,” said the facility’s manager.

“While it could possibly continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial financial backing,” the director explained.

In a subsequent update, the sanctuary confirmed that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had serious health conditions that were incurable and were declining. These actions were made with profound consideration and deliberation,” the director stated.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the remaining five lions, which the park had earlier indicated would be humanely killed.

“A handful of parties have shown interest in purchasing the establishment and providing for the lions. Although the window is short and the circumstances remain uncertain, we are doing our utmost to pursue this option and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “feasible or compassionate choice” due to their age, the number of cats involved, and their specialized requirements.

The park’s announcements were filled with messages from the community, pleading for a stay of execution for the other big cats, while former staff members expressed desire that the facility would rethink the decision to put them down.

The director mentioned that alongside the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also received threatening and insulting comments.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she commented. “We acknowledge that passions are strong, but we appeal for consideration and courtesy as we manage this tragic circumstance.”

The landowner declined to comment.

The regulatory body indicated that the determination to euthanise the cats rested with the landowners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A high-ranking officer commented that euthanasia had to be conducted ethically, and in compliance with animal welfare law.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to confirm this is done correctly,” the official stated. “We are assured that the facility continues to meet its wildlife protection and containment responsibilities.”

The sanctuary attained some recognition in the early part of the century when it appeared on a TV program about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it rapidly ran into problems. In 2009, a staff member was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The park repeatedly experienced financial trouble and staffing problems, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency directed the facility to close until the facilities were modernized. It reopened in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.