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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was compelled to put down two of its elderly lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

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

In a social media update, the facility 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 put down “following a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are heartbroken,” said the sanctuary’s operator.

“While it could potentially continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the property but substantial capital investment,” the manager explained.

In a subsequent update, the park confirmed that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“Yesterday we said goodbye Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were declining. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the operator said.

However, there was a “glimmer of hope” for the other five lions, which the facility had previously indicated would be euthanised.

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in buying the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Although the timeframe is limited and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to investigate this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “practical or ethical option” due to their age, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.

The park’s announcements were filled with responses from the community, pleading for a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while ex-employees expressed hope that the park would review the decision to end their lives.

The operator stated that amid the kind messages and words of condolence, she had also received threatening and abusive remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she remarked. “We understand that emotions are high, but we request compassion and decency as we handle this heartbreaking situation.”

The property owner refused to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the determination to humanely kill the cats lay with the owners, and that it had been informed of the plan.

A senior official explained that euthanasia had to be performed ethically, and in compliance with animal protection legislation.

“An regulatory officer will be present to ensure this is done correctly,” the representative noted. “We are satisfied that the operation continues to meet its animal care and security obligations.”

The sanctuary achieved a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it was shown on a broadcast series about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The park repeatedly ran into financial trouble and staffing problems, and switched proprietors multiple times. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries instructed the facility to close until the enclosures were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.