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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has stated it was forced to euthanise two of its older lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei ceased operations over the past weekend.

In a online update, the establishment explained that its proprietor had listed the land up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “after a tough decision made by the landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The team and I are heartbroken,” stated the facility’s manager.

“Although it might possibly continue as a big cat facility under different management, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the property but considerable financial backing,” the operator noted.

In a later update, the facility announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These actions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the operator stated.

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

“A few individuals have expressed interest in buying the establishment and maintaining care for the lions. Although the deadline is tight and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to explore this option and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “viable or compassionate choice” due to their elderly status, the quantity of animals involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were filled with responses from the community, pleading for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed hope that the sanctuary would review the course of action to euthanise them.

The director stated that alongside the kind messages and words of condolence, she had also received menacing and offensive comments.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she commented. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we appeal for compassion and respect as we handle this tragic situation.”

The landowner declined to comment.

The government department clarified that the choice to humanely kill the lions rested with the proprietors, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A high-ranking officer stated that euthanasia had to be carried out compassionately, and in accordance with animal welfare law.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to confirm this is done properly,” the spokesperson said. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to fulfill its animal welfare and containment obligations.”

The park attained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s 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 fatally attacked by a white tiger while cleaning its enclosure.

The facility repeatedly ran into monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency directed the park to shut down until the habitats were modernized. It resumed operations in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.