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A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was forced to euthanise two of its elderly lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

The privately owned wildlife park in the northern town of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a online update, the facility indicated 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 euthanised “following a challenging decision made by the landowner.”

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

“While it could potentially continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the land but considerable monetary input,” the director added.

In a recent announcement, the facility announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These actions were made with profound consideration and thoughtfulness,” the manager said.

However, there was a “flicker of optimism” for the other five lions, which the park had previously indicated would be humanely killed.

“A few individuals have shown interest in purchasing the property and providing for the lions. Even though the deadline is limited and the circumstances remain uncertain, we are doing our utmost to investigate this opportunity and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or compassionate option” due to their advanced age, the group size involved, and their demanding care.

The facility’s posts were flooded with comments from concerned citizens, pleading for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed hope that the facility would rethink the plan to put them down.

The manager noted that amid the sympathetic words and messages of sorrow, she had also encountered threatening and abusive messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she commented. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we appeal for compassion and courtesy as we handle this devastating predicament.”

The landowner refused to comment.

The government department stated that the decision to humanely kill the lions was the responsibility of the owners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A high-ranking officer commented that euthanasia had to be carried out compassionately, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An regulatory officer will be present to confirm this is done correctly,” the official said. “We are confident that the operation continues to satisfy its animal care and enclosure requirements.”

The sanctuary attained minor fame in the early 2000s when it was shown on a TV program about a famous animal trainer.

However, it soon encountered difficulties. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The sanctuary often experienced financial trouble and employment issues, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries ordered the establishment to cease operations until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.