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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to put down two of its elderly lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still uncertain, following financial difficulties.

The private wildlife sanctuary in the northern town of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a social media post, the facility explained 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 euthanised “following a difficult decision made by the landowner.”

“There were no real options left. The staff and I are deeply saddened,” commented the sanctuary’s operator.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the purchase of the property but substantial monetary input,” the manager explained.

In a later update, the sanctuary announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were not treatable and were worsening. These choices were made with deep care and thoughtfulness,” the operator remarked.

However, there was a “glimmer of hope” for the remaining five lions, which the park had previously indicated would be put down.

“A handful of parties have shown interest in buying the facility and providing for the lions. Even though the timeframe is tight and the conditions remain unclear, we are doing all we can to explore this possibility 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 demanding care.

The facility’s posts were flooded with messages from the community, begging for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed optimism that the facility would review the plan to put them down.

The director stated that among the sympathetic words and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to menacing and abusive remarks.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We understand that emotions are high, but we appeal for compassion and courtesy as we handle this heartbreaking predicament.”

The landowner refused to comment.

The regulatory body indicated that the determination to put down the lions was the responsibility of the proprietors, and that it had been advised of the plan.

A deputy director explained that euthanasia had to be performed humanely, and in compliance with animal protection legislation.

“An regulatory officer will be onsite to verify this is done properly,” the representative noted. “We are assured that the establishment continues to satisfy its animal care and containment obligations.”

The park attained some recognition in the early part of the century when it appeared on a broadcast series about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it soon faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was mauled to death by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The park often ran into economic issues and workforce challenges, and switched proprietors on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency ordered the facility to shut down until the habitats were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.