🔗 Share this article

A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the destiny of the other five lions still undecided, following monetary problems.

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

In a online announcement, the facility indicated that its proprietor had listed the land up for sale in August, and the seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a tough decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” said the facility’s manager.

“While it could potentially continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but substantial monetary input,” the manager noted.

In a subsequent announcement, the park confirmed that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had significant medical issues that were incurable and were declining. These choices were made with profound consideration and thoughtfulness,” the operator remarked.

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

“A several interested parties have expressed interest in acquiring the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the deadline is short and the situation remain unclear, we are doing everything we can to pursue this option and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “practical or compassionate alternative” due to their elderly status, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.

The sanctuary’s updates were overwhelmed by comments from the community, pleading for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while ex-employees expressed hope that the park would review the plan to put them down.

The operator stated that alongside the sympathetic words and messages of sorrow, she had also received threatening and insulting remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she said. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we appeal for kindness and respect as we handle this tragic situation.”

The landowner chose not to respond.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the determination to humanely kill the big cats rested with the proprietors, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A deputy director explained that humane killing had to be conducted ethically, and in compliance with animal welfare law.

“An regulatory officer will be onsite to verify this is done correctly,” the representative noted. “We are confident that the facility continues to fulfill its wildlife protection and security requirements.”

The sanctuary gained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it featured on a television show about a famous animal trainer.

However, it quickly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The facility frequently ran into financial trouble and staffing problems, and switched proprietors on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency directed the park to shut down until the facilities were improved. It resumed operations in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.