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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to euthanise two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still uncertain, following economic struggles.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

In a social media announcement, the facility indicated 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 euthanised “following a tough decision made by the landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The staff and I are deeply saddened,” commented the park’s director.

“Although it might possibly continue as a lion park under different management, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the land but substantial monetary input,” the operator explained.

In a subsequent update, the park verified that two of its lions had been put down.

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

However, there was a “glimmer of hope” for the remaining five lions, which the park had previously indicated would be humanely killed.

“A few individuals have indicated willingness in acquiring the establishment and providing for the lions. While the window is short and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing our utmost to explore this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or ethical option” due to their elderly status, the group size involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by responses from members of the public, requesting a second chance for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed desire that the park would rethink the decision to euthanise them.

The director noted that among the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also received threatening and offensive remarks.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she said. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we appeal for compassion and decency as we handle this devastating situation.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The government department stated that the decision to humanely kill the cats lay with the proprietors, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A deputy director explained that euthanasia had to be carried out compassionately, and in accordance with animal welfare law.

“An regulatory officer will be onsite to ensure this is done properly,” the representative stated. “We are satisfied that the facility continues to satisfy its animal welfare and security responsibilities.”

The facility gained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it appeared on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary frequently encountered economic issues and staffing problems, and switched proprietors multiple times. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries ordered the establishment to shut down until the habitats were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.