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

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

In a social media announcement, the facility explained that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “after a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The team and I are deeply saddened,” stated the sanctuary’s operator.

“Although it might potentially continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the purchase of the property but considerable capital investment,” the operator noted.

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

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were not treatable and were deteriorating. These choices were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the director stated.

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

“A several interested parties have indicated willingness in buying the facility and continuing to care for the lions. While the timeframe is tight and the conditions remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to investigate this possibility and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “viable or humane alternative” due to their elderly status, the quantity of animals involved, and their specialized requirements.

The facility’s posts were filled with comments from the community, requesting a reprieve for the other big cats, while ex-employees expressed hope that the facility would rethink the plan to put them down.

The manager stated that among the sympathetic words and words of condolence, she had also been subjected to menacing and abusive comments.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she remarked. “We recognize that feelings are intense, but we ask for kindness and decency as we handle this devastating predicament.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The regulatory body indicated that the determination to put down the big cats was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been notified of the course of action.

A senior official commented that putting down had to be performed humanely, and in accordance with animal welfare law.

“An regulatory officer will be onsite to confirm this is done properly,” the spokesperson stated. “We are confident that the facility continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and enclosure obligations.”

The facility gained some recognition in the early part of the century when it featured on a TV program about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it soon faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary often ran into monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and changed ownership multiple times. In 2014, the government agency instructed the park to close until the habitats were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.