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A beleaguered wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the fate of the other five lions still unclear, following economic struggles.

The private wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei ceased operations over the weekend.

In a online update, the facility indicated that its proprietor had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a tough decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The staff and I are heartbroken,” stated the sanctuary’s operator.

“Although it might potentially continue as a lion park under fresh proprietors, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant capital investment,” the manager explained.

In a recent statement, the sanctuary verified that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These actions were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the operator stated.

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

“A few individuals have shown interest in acquiring the property and continuing to care for the lions. While the timeframe is limited and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing all we can to pursue this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or ethical choice” due to their advanced age, the number of cats involved, and their demanding care.

The sanctuary’s updates were flooded with comments from concerned citizens, begging for a second chance for the other big cats, while ex-employees expressed hope that the facility would reconsider the decision to put them down.

The director mentioned that alongside the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also encountered hostile and abusive remarks.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we request kindness and decency as we navigate this devastating situation.”

The landowner chose not to respond.

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

A senior official stated that putting down had to be carried out ethically, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to ensure this is done properly,” the official noted. “We are assured that the facility continues to satisfy its animal care and enclosure requirements.”

The park achieved a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it appeared on a broadcast series about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it soon encountered difficulties. In 2009, a handler was mauled to death by a white tiger while cleaning its enclosure.

The facility often ran into financial trouble and workforce challenges, and had multiple owners multiple times. In 2014, the government agency instructed the establishment to shut down until the habitats were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.