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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to put down two of its elderly lions, with the outcome of the remaining five lions still undecided, following financial difficulties.

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

In a social media announcement, the establishment clarified that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

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

“While it could possibly continue as a lion park under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the purchase of the property but considerable capital investment,” the operator added.

In a subsequent update, the sanctuary verified that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were not treatable and were deteriorating. These choices were made with utmost compassion and consideration,” the operator said.

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

“A several interested parties have expressed interest in purchasing the establishment and continuing to care for the lions. Although the deadline is short and the situation remain unclear, we are doing all we can to investigate this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “practical or ethical alternative” due to their age, the quantity of animals involved, and their demanding care.

The park’s announcements were filled with messages from members of the public, requesting a reprieve for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed optimism that the sanctuary would reconsider the course of action to put them down.

The operator noted that amid the kind messages and expressions of sympathy, she had also encountered menacing and offensive messages.

“This is deeply distressing,” she remarked. “We understand that feelings are intense, but we ask for consideration and courtesy as we handle this devastating situation.”

The property owner chose not to respond.

The government department indicated that the decision to humanely kill the cats was the responsibility of the proprietors, and that it had been informed of the plan.

A deputy director stated that putting down had to be carried out humanely, and in accordance with animal welfare law.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to verify this is done properly,” the representative said. “We are assured that the establishment continues to meet its animal care and security responsibilities.”

The park gained minor fame in the early part of the century when it featured on a TV program about a well-known lion tamer.

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

The park often ran into monetary difficulties and employment issues, and changed ownership repeatedly. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries directed the park to shut down until the enclosures were upgraded. It reopened in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.