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A struggling wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was compelled to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the outcome of the remaining five lions still uncertain, following financial difficulties.

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

In a online announcement, the facility clarified that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

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

“While it could possibly continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the land but significant monetary input,” the manager added.

In a subsequent statement, the park verified that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were untreatable and were declining. These choices were made with deep care and consideration,” the operator said.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the other five lions, which the park had earlier indicated would be put down.

“A handful of parties have indicated willingness in buying the property and maintaining care for the lions. Although the timeframe is tight and the circumstances remain unresolved, we are doing all we can to explore this option and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “feasible or ethical choice” due to their elderly status, the number of cats involved, and their specialized requirements.

The park’s announcements were flooded with messages from concerned citizens, requesting a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while ex-employees expressed optimism that the park would reconsider the plan to end their lives.

The manager stated that among the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also received hostile and insulting comments.

“This is deeply distressing,” she remarked. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we ask for consideration and decency as we manage this devastating predicament.”

The proprietor chose not to respond.

The government department clarified that the decision to humanely kill the cats rested with the proprietors, and that it had been informed of the plan.

A senior official stated that humane killing had to be conducted humanely, and in compliance with animal welfare law.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to confirm this is done appropriately,” the spokesperson said. “We are confident that the facility continues to meet its animal care and enclosure requirements.”

The sanctuary gained some recognition in the early 2000s when it appeared on a television show about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it quickly ran into problems. In 2009, a staff member was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The park often experienced economic issues and staffing problems, and had multiple owners multiple times. In 2014, the government agency directed the facility to cease operations until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.