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A struggling wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has revealed it was compelled to put down two of its older lions, with the fate of the other five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

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

“There were no real options left. The team and I are devastated,” said the park’s director.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a big cat facility under different management, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial monetary input,” the operator added.

In a subsequent announcement, the sanctuary confirmed that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were not treatable and were worsening. These decisions were made with deep care and thoughtfulness,” the manager said.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the other five lions, which the sanctuary had previously indicated would be euthanised.

“A few individuals have shown interest in buying the property and continuing to care for the lions. While the deadline is short and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to explore this possibility and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “viable or humane choice” due to their elderly status, the quantity of animals involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by messages from the community, pleading for a reprieve for the other big cats, while former staff members expressed desire that the park would reconsider the decision to put them down.

The operator noted that alongside the sympathetic words and messages of sorrow, she had also encountered hostile and offensive comments.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she commented. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we appeal for compassion and decency as we handle this heartbreaking predicament.”

The landowner refused to comment.

The government department indicated that the decision to put down the big cats lay with the landowners, and that it had been notified of the intention.

A high-ranking officer commented that euthanasia had to be conducted compassionately, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be onsite to verify this is done properly,” the representative stated. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to fulfill its animal care and enclosure responsibilities.”

The park attained some recognition in the early part of the century when it appeared on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a staff member was mauled to death by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary repeatedly ran into financial trouble and employment issues, and switched proprietors repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency directed the establishment to close until the facilities were modernized. It reopened in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.