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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was obliged to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still uncertain, following economic struggles.

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

In a social media announcement, the establishment clarified that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a tough decision made by the landowner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” commented the facility’s manager.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a lion park under different management, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the land but significant financial backing,” the director explained.

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

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were incurable and were worsening. These decisions were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the operator stated.

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

“A several interested parties have shown interest in acquiring the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the window is tight and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing our utmost to pursue this option and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or humane choice” due to their advanced age, the group size involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with responses from the community, pleading for a second chance for the remaining lions, while past workers expressed desire that the sanctuary would rethink the plan to euthanise them.

The director stated that alongside the sympathetic words and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to threatening and insulting messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she commented. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we appeal for consideration and courtesy as we navigate this heartbreaking circumstance.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The government department indicated that the determination to put down the lions rested with the proprietors, and that it had been advised of the intention.

A senior official stated that putting down had to be carried out ethically, and in accordance with animal protection legislation.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to ensure this is done correctly,” the official stated. “We are confident that the facility continues to satisfy its animal welfare and security responsibilities.”

The facility achieved some recognition in the early part of the century when it featured on a TV program about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it soon ran into problems. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary repeatedly encountered financial trouble and workforce challenges, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the regulatory body instructed the facility to cease operations until the habitats were improved. It resumed operations in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.