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

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei shut down over the weekend.

In a social media post, the facility indicated that its proprietor had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The staff and I are deeply saddened,” stated the facility’s manager.

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

In a recent update, the sanctuary confirmed that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“Yesterday we said goodbye Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These actions were made with deep care and consideration,” the director said.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in acquiring the facility and continuing to care for the lions. Even though the window is tight and the conditions remain uncertain, we are doing everything we can to explore this option and keep hope alive.”

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

The park’s announcements were overwhelmed by comments from members of the public, begging for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed desire that the sanctuary would reconsider the course of action to put them down.

The director mentioned that amid the supportive comments and words of condolence, she had also been subjected to threatening and abusive remarks.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We acknowledge that passions are strong, but we request consideration and respect as we navigate this devastating situation.”

The landowner declined to comment.

The government department stated that the determination to put down the lions was the responsibility of the landowners, and that it had been informed of the intention.

A senior official explained that euthanasia had to be carried out ethically, and in compliance with animal protection legislation.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to confirm this is done correctly,” the official said. “We are assured that the facility continues to meet its wildlife protection and enclosure responsibilities.”

The facility gained a degree of notoriety in the early part of the century when it was shown on a TV program about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it rapidly faced challenges. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The facility repeatedly experienced economic issues and workforce challenges, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries ordered the facility to shut down until the habitats were improved. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.