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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was forced to put down two of its older lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still unclear, following monetary problems.

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

In a social media update, the facility explained that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a tough decision made by the property owner.”

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

“Although it might possibly continue as a big cat facility under different management, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial capital investment,” the director added.

In a recent update, the facility announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were not treatable and were worsening. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and consideration,” the manager remarked.

However, there was a “ray of hope” for the other five lions, which the park had earlier indicated would be humanely killed.

“A few individuals have shown interest in acquiring the establishment and continuing to care for the lions. Even though the timeframe is short and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing all we can to explore this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “viable or ethical option” due to their age, the number of cats involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were filled with responses from concerned citizens, requesting a reprieve for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed desire that the facility would rethink the decision to end their lives.

The director stated that among the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also encountered threatening and offensive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We understand that emotions are high, but we ask for kindness and respect as we navigate this tragic situation.”

The property owner declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the choice to humanely kill the big cats rested with the proprietors, and that it had been advised of the plan.

A senior official stated that humane killing had to be carried out humanely, and in line with wildlife regulations.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to confirm this is done properly,” the official noted. “We are satisfied that the establishment continues to meet its animal welfare and containment obligations.”

The sanctuary attained minor fame in the early 2000s when it featured on a television show about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it rapidly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a white tiger while carrying out duties.

The sanctuary repeatedly experienced financial trouble and workforce challenges, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the regulatory body ordered the park to shut down until the facilities were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.