🔗 Share this article

A financially troubled wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was compelled to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still unclear, following economic struggles.

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

In a online announcement, the facility indicated that its owner had listed the land up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “after a challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“All possibilities were exhausted. The employees and I are devastated,” said the facility’s manager.

“While it could possibly continue as a big cat facility under different management, such a scenario would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant capital investment,” the operator added.

In a subsequent update, the facility confirmed that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were not treatable and were worsening. These decisions were made with profound consideration and deliberation,” the manager stated.

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

“A few individuals have expressed interest in acquiring the property and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the timeframe is short and the circumstances remain uncertain, we are doing everything we can to explore this possibility and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “practical or ethical choice” due to their advanced age, the group size involved, and their complex needs.

The facility’s posts were flooded with comments from members of the public, requesting a reprieve for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed optimism that the facility would rethink the decision to end their lives.

The manager mentioned that among the sympathetic words and expressions of sympathy, she had also received menacing and abusive messages.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she said. “We understand that feelings are intense, but we appeal for kindness and respect as we manage this devastating circumstance.”

The property owner refused to comment.

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

A deputy director stated that euthanasia had to be carried out ethically, and in line with animal protection legislation.

“An compliance official will be on location to confirm this is done properly,” the spokesperson said. “We are satisfied that the facility continues to meet its wildlife protection and enclosure responsibilities.”

The sanctuary gained some recognition in the early part of the century when it was shown on a TV program about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it rapidly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a handler was mauled to death by a white tiger while performing maintenance.

The park often ran into economic issues and workforce challenges, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency directed the facility to shut down until the enclosures were upgraded. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.