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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was forced to euthanise two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

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

In a social media post, the facility clarified that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “after a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are devastated,” said the facility’s manager.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the purchase of the property but significant financial backing,” the operator added.

In a later statement, the facility confirmed that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were untreatable and were declining. These actions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the director remarked.

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

“A few individuals have expressed interest in buying the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Although the timeframe is tight and the circumstances remain unresolved, we are doing our utmost to explore this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “practical or compassionate alternative” due to their elderly status, the number of cats involved, and their specialized requirements.

The facility’s posts were flooded with comments from concerned citizens, requesting a second chance for the remaining lions, while past workers expressed desire that the park would review the decision to end their lives.

The director noted that alongside the supportive comments and messages of sorrow, she had also received menacing and abusive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she commented. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we appeal for consideration and respect as we manage this tragic predicament.”

The landowner chose not to respond.

The regulatory body stated that the determination 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 euthanasia had to be performed humanely, and in compliance with wildlife regulations.

“An compliance official will be onsite to verify this is done properly,” the official noted. “We are satisfied that the operation continues to meet its animal welfare and security requirements.”

The sanctuary attained some recognition in the early 2000s when it featured on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a handler was mauled to death by a big cat while carrying out duties.

The sanctuary frequently experienced financial trouble and staffing problems, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the regulatory body directed the facility to cease operations until the facilities were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.