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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was obliged to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the fate of the remaining five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

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

In a social media update, the facility indicated 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 “after a tough decision made by the property owner.”

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

“Even though it may possibly continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial capital investment,” the manager noted.

In a later announcement, the sanctuary announced that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with profound consideration and deliberation,” the manager stated.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in acquiring the establishment and continuing to care for the lions. Although the deadline is tight and the conditions remain uncertain, we are doing all we can to pursue this possibility and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “viable or compassionate option” due to their age, the quantity of animals involved, and their complex needs.

The facility’s posts were flooded with comments from the community, begging for a reprieve for the remaining lions, while past workers expressed hope that the facility would review the course of action to euthanise them.

The manager mentioned that alongside the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also received threatening and abusive comments.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We acknowledge that passions are strong, but we ask for compassion and decency as we manage this heartbreaking predicament.”

The proprietor chose not to respond.

The ministry for primary industries clarified that the decision to humanely kill the big cats lay with the owners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A deputy director stated that humane killing had to be conducted ethically, and in accordance with animal protection legislation.

“An regulatory officer will be present to ensure this is done appropriately,” the official noted. “We are assured that the facility continues to satisfy its animal welfare and enclosure responsibilities.”

The park achieved some recognition in the early part of the century when it was shown on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly ran into problems. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary repeatedly ran into financial trouble and workforce challenges, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries instructed the park to shut down until the facilities were modernized. It resumed operations in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.