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A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to put down two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still undecided, following monetary problems.

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

In a online update, the establishment indicated that its proprietor had listed the land up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a challenging decision made by the landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The team and I are heartbroken,” said the facility’s manager.

“While it could possibly continue as a wildlife attraction under new ownership, such a future would require not only the acquisition of the property but considerable capital investment,” the operator explained.

In a subsequent statement, the facility confirmed 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 incurable and were deteriorating. These choices were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the director stated.

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

“A several interested parties have shown interest in acquiring the property and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the window is short and the situation remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to investigate this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “practical or compassionate option” due to their advanced age, the number of cats involved, and their complex needs.

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by responses from concerned citizens, requesting a second chance for the other big cats, while former staff members expressed desire that the park would rethink the decision to put them down.

The director stated that alongside the kind messages and words of condolence, she had also encountered threatening and abusive messages.

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

The landowner declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries clarified that the determination to put down the lions was the responsibility of the proprietors, and that it had been informed of the plan.

A deputy director stated that humane killing had to be performed compassionately, and in compliance with wildlife regulations.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to verify this is done appropriately,” the representative said. “We are assured that the operation continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and containment requirements.”

The park gained some recognition in the early 2000s when it was shown on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

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

The sanctuary repeatedly experienced financial trouble and staffing problems, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency instructed the establishment to cease operations until the facilities were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.