🔗 Share this article

A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has revealed it was forced to humanely kill two of its older lions, with the outcome of the other five lions still undecided, following economic struggles.

The private wildlife reserve in the northern town of Whangārei closed its doors over the weekend.

In a online post, the facility explained 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 euthanised “following a difficult decision made by the property owner.”

“There were no real options left. The team and I are devastated,” stated the facility’s manager.

“Although it might possibly continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the land but considerable monetary input,” the manager noted.

In a later announcement, the park verified that two of its lions had been humanely killed.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had serious health conditions that were incurable and were declining. These choices were made with utmost compassion and deliberation,” the manager stated.

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 shown interest in buying the establishment and continuing to care for the lions. While the timeframe is short and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing all we can to pursue this opportunity and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to an alternate site was not a “viable or compassionate choice” due to their age, the number of cats involved, and their complex needs.

The facility’s posts were flooded with messages from the community, begging for a stay of execution for the remaining lions, while ex-employees expressed optimism that the facility would rethink the decision to euthanise them.

The operator noted that amid the kind messages and messages of sorrow, she had also encountered menacing and insulting comments.

“This is deeply distressing,” she remarked. “We recognize that passions are strong, but we appeal for consideration and decency as we handle this tragic predicament.”

The landowner chose not to respond.

The regulatory body stated that the choice to euthanise the cats lay with the proprietors, and that it had been advised of the intention.

A deputy director commented that humane killing had to be carried out ethically, and in compliance with animal welfare law.

“An regulatory officer will be on location to ensure this is done properly,” the official said. “We are satisfied that the facility continues to meet its animal welfare and enclosure obligations.”

The facility achieved some recognition in the early part of the century when it featured on a broadcast series about a celebrity big cat handler.

However, it soon faced challenges. In 2009, a handler was killed by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The park frequently ran into monetary difficulties and staffing problems, and had multiple owners repeatedly. In 2014, the government agency ordered the park to shut down until the facilities were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but entered administration in 2023.