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A struggling wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was compelled to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still uncertain, following monetary problems.

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

In a social media post, the facility indicated that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” stated the sanctuary’s operator.

“Even though it may potentially continue as a wildlife attraction under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant capital investment,” the manager noted.

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

“Yesterday we said goodbye two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were not treatable and were deteriorating. These choices were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the manager remarked.

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

“A several interested parties have shown interest in buying the property and maintaining care for the lions. Although the deadline is tight and the situation remain unclear, we are doing our utmost to investigate this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or humane alternative” due to their age, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were filled with comments from the community, requesting a reprieve for the other big cats, while past workers expressed desire that the facility would rethink the decision to end their lives.

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

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she commented. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we ask for consideration and decency as we handle this devastating situation.”

The landowner chose not to respond.

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

A high-ranking officer commented that humane killing had to be performed ethically, and in compliance with animal protection legislation.

“An compliance official will be onsite to verify this is done properly,” the representative noted. “We are assured that the establishment continues to satisfy its animal welfare and security requirements.”

The sanctuary achieved minor fame in the early 2000s when it was shown on a broadcast series about a famous animal trainer.

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

The sanctuary often ran into economic issues and staffing problems, and switched proprietors on several occasions. In 2014, the regulatory body instructed the establishment to close until the habitats were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.