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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was obliged to put down two of its older lions, with the fate of the other five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

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

In a online post, 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 “after a tough decision made by the landowner.”

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

“Although it might possibly continue as a wildlife attraction under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but considerable capital investment,” the operator added.

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

“We had to part with Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were untreatable and were worsening. These choices were made with utmost compassion and consideration,” the manager stated.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the other five lions, which the sanctuary had earlier indicated would be humanely killed.

“A several interested parties have shown interest in purchasing the property and maintaining care for the lions. Although the timeframe is limited and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing all we can to investigate this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “practical or humane choice” 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, pleading for a reprieve for the other big cats, while former staff members expressed desire that the park would review the plan to put them down.

The manager noted that alongside the kind messages and expressions of sympathy, she had also encountered hostile and abusive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we appeal for compassion and decency as we handle this heartbreaking situation.”

The proprietor chose not to respond.

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

A senior official explained that humane killing had to be conducted ethically, and in compliance with animal protection legislation.

“An compliance official will be on location to verify this is done appropriately,” the official said. “We are confident that the facility continues to meet its wildlife protection and containment requirements.”

The park achieved some recognition in the early part of the century when it featured on a television show about a well-known lion tamer.

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

The facility repeatedly experienced economic issues and workforce challenges, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries directed the establishment to shut down until the facilities were improved. It resumed operations in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.