🔗 Share this article

A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has stated it was forced to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still undecided, following monetary problems.

The private wildlife sanctuary in the northern city of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a social media post, the facility clarified 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 put down “following a tough decision made by the landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” commented the sanctuary’s operator.

“Even though it may possibly continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a scenario would require not only the purchase of the land but significant financial backing,” the director noted.

In a recent announcement, the park verified that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We had to part with Imvula and Sibili, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These actions were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the manager said.

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

“A few individuals have shown interest in acquiring the establishment and maintaining care for the lions. Although the deadline is short and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to explore this opportunity and hold onto hope.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “feasible or compassionate choice” due to their elderly status, the quantity of animals involved, and their demanding care.

The park’s announcements were flooded with messages from the community, pleading for a reprieve for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed optimism that the park would reconsider the plan to put them down.

The director noted that among the sympathetic words and expressions of sympathy, she had also received menacing and insulting remarks.

“This is deeply distressing,” she said. “We acknowledge that emotions are high, but we request compassion and decency as we handle this devastating situation.”

The property owner declined to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the choice to humanely kill the big cats lay with the landowners, and that it had been notified of the intention.

A deputy director stated that humane killing had to be carried out compassionately, and in compliance with wildlife regulations.

“An compliance official will be on location to ensure this is done properly,” the spokesperson said. “We are confident that the facility continues to meet its animal care and enclosure obligations.”

The sanctuary attained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it featured on a television show about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it rapidly ran into problems. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a white tiger while carrying out duties.

The facility often encountered economic issues and employment issues, and changed ownership on several occasions. In 2014, the ministry of primary industries directed the establishment to cease operations until the facilities were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.