Troubled New Zealand Wildlife Park Puts Down Pair of Lions, Fate of Five More Unclear

A financially troubled wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was obliged to humanely kill two of its elderly lions, with the fate of the remaining five lions still uncertain, following financial difficulties.

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

In a social media update, the facility indicated 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 challenging decision made by the property owner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The staff and I are deeply saddened,” said the park’s director.

“While it could potentially continue as a lion park under new ownership, such a outcome would require not only the acquisition of the property but significant monetary input,” the operator explained.

In a subsequent statement, the park announced that two of its lions had been euthanised.

“We had to part with two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were untreatable and were deteriorating. These decisions were made with profound consideration and thoughtfulness,” the director stated.

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

“A handful of parties have expressed interest in acquiring the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Although the window is limited and the circumstances remain unclear, we are doing all we can to pursue this opportunity and maintain optimism.”

Relocating the lions to another facility was not a “feasible or compassionate option” due to their age, the number of cats involved, and their complex needs.

The park’s announcements were filled with responses from concerned citizens, begging for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while former staff members expressed optimism that the sanctuary would rethink the decision to put them down.

The director mentioned that among the sympathetic words and expressions of sympathy, she had also been subjected to hostile and insulting comments.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she said. “We acknowledge that feelings are intense, but we ask for consideration and courtesy as we handle this devastating predicament.”

The proprietor refused to comment.

The ministry for primary industries stated that the decision to put down the lions was the responsibility of the landowners, and that it had been notified of the plan.

A senior official commented that putting down had to be performed ethically, and in accordance with animal protection legislation.

“An animal welfare inspector will be present to verify this is done correctly,” the representative stated. “We are satisfied that the operation continues to fulfill its animal care and enclosure obligations.”

The park achieved some recognition in the early part of the century when it featured on a TV program about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it soon encountered difficulties. In 2009, a staff member was mauled to death by a big cat while cleaning its enclosure.

The sanctuary repeatedly encountered economic issues and staffing problems, and had multiple owners multiple times. In 2014, the regulatory body directed the park to cease operations until the enclosures were modernized. It restarted in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.