A struggling wildlife sanctuary in New Zealand has stated it was forced to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the destiny of the remaining five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.
The private wildlife park in the northern city of Whangārei ceased operations over the weekend.
In a social media announcement, the establishment clarified that its proprietor had put the property up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, ranging from 18 and 21 years old, would be put down “following a tough decision made by the landowner.”
“There were no real options left. The employees and I are heartbroken,” said the sanctuary’s operator.
“Although it might potentially continue as a big cat facility under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the purchase of the property but considerable capital investment,” the manager noted.
In a recent update, the park announced that two of its lions had been humanely killed.
“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These actions were made with deep care and thoughtfulness,” the director said.
However, there was a “ray of hope” for the remaining five lions, which the sanctuary had earlier indicated would be humanely killed.
“A several interested parties have expressed interest in acquiring the property and providing for the lions. Although the deadline is short and the conditions remain unresolved, we are doing everything we can to explore this possibility and maintain optimism.”
Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “feasible or humane option” due to their elderly status, the group size involved, and their specialized requirements.
The facility’s posts were flooded with comments from the community, begging for a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while ex-employees expressed desire that the sanctuary would review the course of action to end their lives.
The operator mentioned that alongside the kind messages and words of condolence, she had also received hostile and offensive remarks.
“This is extremely upsetting,” she remarked. “We recognize that feelings are intense, but we request consideration and courtesy as we manage this devastating circumstance.”
The landowner chose not to respond.
The ministry for primary industries indicated that the determination to euthanise the big cats lay with the proprietors, and that it had been advised of the intention.
A deputy director stated that euthanasia had to be conducted humanely, and in compliance with wildlife regulations.
“An compliance official will be on location to verify this is done properly,” the official noted. “We are confident that the operation continues to satisfy its wildlife protection and containment obligations.”
The sanctuary achieved some recognition in the early part of the century when it was shown on a TV program about a celebrity big cat handler.
However, it quickly ran into problems. In 2009, a staff member was fatally attacked by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.
The facility often encountered monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and switched proprietors repeatedly. In 2014, the regulatory body ordered the facility to shut down until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but faced insolvency in 2023.
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