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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has announced it was forced to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still uncertain, following economic struggles.

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

In a online post, the facility indicated that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a tough decision made by the landowner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The team and I are heartbroken,” stated the facility’s manager.

“While it could potentially continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the property but considerable financial backing,” the manager explained.

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

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were deteriorating. These choices were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the manager stated.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in acquiring the establishment and providing for the lions. Although the window is limited and the conditions remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to investigate this option and maintain optimism.”

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

The park’s announcements were flooded with messages from the community, pleading for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed desire that the sanctuary would reconsider the decision to put them down.

The director mentioned that amid the kind messages and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to threatening and insulting messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she remarked. “We understand that passions are strong, but we appeal for consideration and courtesy as we handle this heartbreaking circumstance.”

The proprietor refused to comment.

The regulatory body clarified that the determination to humanely kill the lions lay with the owners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A senior official commented that humane killing had to be carried out compassionately, and in compliance with wildlife regulations.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to verify this is done properly,” the representative said. “We are confident that the facility continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and security requirements.”

The park gained some recognition in the early 2000s when it featured on a television show about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a keeper was mauled to death by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The facility frequently ran into financial trouble and employment issues, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the regulatory body ordered the facility to close until the enclosures were improved. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.