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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has stated it was forced to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei closed its doors over the past weekend.

In a online announcement, the establishment indicated that its proprietor had listed the land up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a challenging decision made by the landowner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The team and I are heartbroken,” said the park’s director.

“While it could possibly continue as a lion park under new ownership, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial capital investment,” the manager noted.

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

“We had to part with Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had serious health conditions that were not treatable and were worsening. These actions were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the director remarked.

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

“A few individuals have expressed interest in buying the establishment and continuing to care for the lions. Even though the timeframe is tight and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to explore this option and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “viable or ethical alternative” due to their age, the quantity of animals involved, and their demanding care.

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by responses from concerned citizens, begging for a reprieve for the other big cats, while former staff members expressed hope that the facility would rethink the plan to put them down.

The operator stated that amid the sympathetic words and messages of sorrow, she had also been subjected to menacing and abusive messages.

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

The property owner declined to comment.

The government department indicated that the determination to humanely kill the cats was the responsibility of the landowners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A deputy director stated that humane killing had to be performed compassionately, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be onsite to confirm this is done correctly,” the representative said. “We are confident that the facility continues to fulfill its animal welfare and security responsibilities.”

The park achieved a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it featured on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it soon ran into problems. In 2009, a handler was mauled to death by a big cat while carrying out duties.

The sanctuary often encountered monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and switched proprietors repeatedly. In 2014, the regulatory body directed the facility to cease operations until the facilities were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.