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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was forced to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still undecided, following financial difficulties.

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

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

“No viable alternatives remained. The team and I are deeply saddened,” commented the facility’s manager.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial financial backing,” the manager explained.

In a subsequent statement, the facility announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“Yesterday we said goodbye two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the director stated.

However, there was a “glimmer of hope” for the remaining five lions, which the sanctuary had earlier indicated would be humanely killed.

“A several interested parties have shown interest in buying the facility and providing for the lions. Although the deadline is tight and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to explore this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “feasible or ethical alternative” due to their age, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.

The facility’s posts were overwhelmed by comments from members of the public, pleading for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed desire that the sanctuary would reconsider the course of action to end their lives.

The director mentioned that among the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also been subjected to hostile and offensive remarks.

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

The landowner refused to comment.

The government department stated that the choice to put down the cats rested with the owners, and that it had been advised of the intention.

A senior official commented that humane killing had to be performed humanely, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An regulatory officer will be present to confirm this is done properly,” the spokesperson noted. “We are satisfied that the operation continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and enclosure requirements.”

The park gained minor fame in the early 2000s when it featured on a TV program about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it soon faced challenges. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The facility often experienced financial trouble and employment issues, and had multiple owners multiple times. In 2014, the government agency instructed the park to cease operations until the habitats were modernized. It resumed operations in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.