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

The privately owned wildlife sanctuary in the northern city of Whangārei closed its doors over the past weekend.

In a social media announcement, the establishment indicated that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “after a tough decision made by the landowner.”

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

“Even though it may 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 manager explained.

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

“We recently farewelled Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had significant medical issues that were untreatable and were worsening. These actions were made with deep care and deliberation,” the director said.

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

“A handful of parties have indicated willingness in buying the property and maintaining care for the lions. While the timeframe is limited and the situation remain unclear, we are doing our utmost to pursue this opportunity and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “practical or compassionate alternative” due to their advanced age, the quantity of animals involved, and their complex needs.

The facility’s posts were overwhelmed by comments from the community, begging for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed optimism that the sanctuary would rethink the course of action to euthanise them.

The director noted that alongside the supportive comments and expressions of sympathy, she had also encountered menacing and insulting messages.

“This is profoundly disturbing,” she said. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we appeal for compassion and respect as we handle this heartbreaking circumstance.”

The proprietor refused to comment.

The government department clarified that the determination to humanely kill the cats was the responsibility of the proprietors, and that it had been informed of the course of action.

A senior official commented that euthanasia had to be performed ethically, and in accordance with wildlife regulations.

“An animal welfare inspector will be on location to verify this is done correctly,” the official said. “We are confident that the operation continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and containment responsibilities.”

The sanctuary achieved some recognition in the early 2000s when it appeared on a TV program about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it rapidly ran into problems. In 2009, a keeper was fatally attacked by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The facility often experienced economic issues and staffing problems, and switched proprietors on several occasions. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries ordered the establishment to cease operations until the enclosures were improved. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.