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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to put down two of its elderly lions, with the fate of the other five lions still undecided, following monetary problems.

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

In a online announcement, the facility indicated that its owner 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 difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The staff and I are devastated,” commented the park’s director.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a big cat facility under different management, such a future would require not only the purchase of the land but significant financial backing,” the manager noted.

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

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were incurable and were worsening. These choices were made with deep care and consideration,” the director said.

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

“A handful of parties have indicated willingness in purchasing the property and continuing to care for the lions. Although the window is tight and the circumstances remain uncertain, we are doing all we can to investigate this possibility and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “viable or humane option” due to their advanced age, the quantity of animals involved, and their specialized requirements.

The facility’s posts were filled with responses from the community, requesting a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed desire that the park would reconsider the course of action to end their lives.

The director mentioned that alongside the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also received menacing and offensive messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she commented. “We understand that emotions are high, but we request consideration and decency as we handle this devastating predicament.”

The proprietor refused to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the choice to humanely kill the lions was the responsibility of the proprietors, and that it had been advised of the intention.

A senior official commented that putting down had to be conducted humanely, and in compliance with animal protection legislation.

“An animal welfare inspector will be onsite to confirm this is done appropriately,” the spokesperson said. “We are assured that the establishment continues to meet its animal welfare and containment obligations.”

The facility attained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it was shown on a broadcast series about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it rapidly faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was killed by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The park frequently experienced monetary difficulties and employment issues, and switched proprietors multiple times. In 2014, the government agency instructed the establishment to close until the enclosures were upgraded. It resumed operations in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.