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

The private wildlife reserve in the northern city of Whangārei ceased operations over the past weekend.

In a social media announcement, the establishment explained that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The staff and I are devastated,” stated the sanctuary’s operator.

“While it could potentially continue as a wildlife attraction under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but substantial capital investment,” the manager added.

In a recent statement, the facility verified that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“We had to part with Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were declining. These choices were made with deep care and deliberation,” the operator stated.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in purchasing the facility and continuing to care for the lions. Even though the window is short and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to pursue this opportunity and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “viable or humane alternative” due to their age, the quantity of animals involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by responses from concerned citizens, begging for a second chance for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed optimism that the facility would rethink the decision to end their lives.

The manager stated that alongside the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to menacing and abusive messages.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she said. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we request consideration and decency as we handle this heartbreaking predicament.”

The property owner chose not to respond.

The government department indicated that the determination to humanely kill the big cats lay with the proprietors, and that it had been notified of the intention.

A senior official explained that euthanasia had to be conducted ethically, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An compliance official will be on location to confirm this is done appropriately,” the representative said. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to fulfill its animal care and enclosure responsibilities.”

The facility achieved a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it appeared on a broadcast series about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly faced challenges. In 2009, a staff member was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The facility often ran into monetary difficulties and workforce challenges, and changed ownership multiple times. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries instructed the park to cease operations until the habitats were modernized. It resumed operations in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.