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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to euthanise two of its senior lions, with the fate of the remaining five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei ceased operations over the weekend.

In a online update, the establishment explained 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 euthanised “following a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

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

“Although it might possibly continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant monetary input,” the operator explained.

In a later update, the park announced that two of its lions had been put down.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were incurable and were deteriorating. These choices were made with utmost compassion and thoughtfulness,” the director stated.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the other five lions, which the facility had earlier indicated would be put down.

“A several interested parties have shown interest in buying the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the window is limited and the situation remain uncertain, we are doing everything we can to pursue this possibility and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “practical or ethical alternative” due to their advanced age, the quantity of animals involved, and their complex needs.

The facility’s posts were filled with responses from the community, pleading for a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while former staff members expressed optimism that the facility would rethink the decision to put them down.

The operator mentioned that alongside the kind messages and messages of sorrow, she had also been subjected to menacing and abusive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We recognize that emotions are high, but we request consideration and courtesy as we handle this tragic situation.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries clarified that the choice to humanely kill the big cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A senior official explained that humane killing had to be conducted compassionately, and in line with animal protection legislation.

“An animal welfare inspector will be present to confirm this is done appropriately,” the official said. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and enclosure obligations.”

The sanctuary attained some recognition in the early part of the century when it was shown on a television show about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it rapidly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a keeper was fatally attacked by a white tiger while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary repeatedly ran into financial trouble and workforce challenges, and switched proprietors multiple times. In 2014, the regulatory body instructed the facility to cease operations until the facilities were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.