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A struggling wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to euthanise two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still uncertain, following financial difficulties.

The private wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

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

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

“Even though it may potentially continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial monetary input,” the director explained.

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

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were incurable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the manager said.

However, there was a “ray of hope” for the other five lions, which the park had previously indicated would be humanely killed.

“A several interested parties have expressed interest in buying the establishment and providing for the lions. While the deadline is limited and the circumstances remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to investigate this opportunity and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or compassionate choice” due to their age, the group size involved, and their demanding care.

The facility’s posts were overwhelmed by messages from concerned citizens, pleading for a second chance for the other big cats, while former staff members expressed hope that the park would reconsider the course of action to euthanise them.

The director noted that among the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also encountered threatening and abusive messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she remarked. “We understand that emotions are high, but we appeal for kindness and courtesy as we manage this heartbreaking circumstance.”

The proprietor chose not to respond.

The regulatory body stated that the choice to humanely kill the cats lay with the landowners, and that it had been advised of the course of action.

A high-ranking officer explained that euthanasia had to be performed humanely, and in accordance with animal protection legislation.

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

The park gained some recognition in the early part of the century when it appeared on a television show about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly faced challenges. In 2009, a keeper was fatally attacked by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary repeatedly ran into economic issues and staffing problems, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency instructed the facility to shut down until the facilities were improved. It resumed operations in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.