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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the remaining five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

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

In a online update, the establishment explained 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 “following a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The team and I are devastated,” commented the sanctuary’s operator.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a lion park under different management, such a outcome would require not only the purchase of the property but significant capital investment,” the operator noted.

In a subsequent announcement, the park verified that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and consideration,” the manager remarked.

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

“A several interested parties have expressed interest in acquiring the facility and providing for the lions. Even though the window is limited and the circumstances remain unresolved, we are doing all we can to investigate this possibility and hold onto hope.”

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

The facility’s posts were flooded with comments from concerned citizens, requesting a second chance for the remaining lions, while past workers expressed hope that the sanctuary would reconsider the decision to end their lives.

The operator mentioned that among the supportive comments and messages of sorrow, she had also encountered threatening and offensive remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she remarked. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we request kindness and decency as we navigate this heartbreaking circumstance.”

The landowner refused to comment.

The government department stated that the decision to put down the lions lay with the owners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A senior official stated that putting down had to be performed humanely, and in accordance with animal protection legislation.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to confirm this is done correctly,” the official noted. “We are confident that the facility continues to satisfy its wildlife protection and containment responsibilities.”

The sanctuary gained some recognition in the early part of the century when it appeared on a TV program about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it soon ran into problems. In 2009, a keeper was mauled to death by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The facility repeatedly ran into monetary difficulties and workforce challenges, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency ordered the park to shut down until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.