Troubled New Zealand Wildlife Park Euthanises Two Lions, Future of Five More Unclear

A beleaguered wildlife park in New Zealand has announced it was compelled to humanely kill two of its senior lions, with the fate of the remaining five lions still unclear, following financial difficulties.

The privately owned wildlife reserve in the northern town of Whangārei shut down over the past weekend.

In a social media update, the establishment clarified that its owner had put the property up for sale in August, and the group of seven lions, aged between 18 and 21 years old, would be euthanised “following a tough decision made by the landowner.”

“No viable alternatives remained. The employees and I are deeply saddened,” stated the facility’s manager.

“Although it might potentially continue as a big cat facility under fresh proprietors, such a outcome would require not only the purchase of the property but significant capital investment,” the director noted.

In a later update, the sanctuary verified that two of its lions had been put down.

“We recently farewelled two of our lions, both of whom had grave illnesses that were not treatable and were declining. These choices were made with deep care and consideration,” the manager stated.

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

“A several interested parties have expressed interest in buying the facility and maintaining care for the lions. Even though the window is limited and the circumstances remain unresolved, we are doing all we can to pursue this possibility and keep hope alive.”

Relocating the lions to a different location was not a “feasible or ethical alternative” due to their age, the quantity of animals involved, and their specialized requirements.

The facility’s posts were filled with comments from members of the public, begging for a stay of execution for the surviving lions, while past workers expressed desire that the facility would rethink the plan to euthanise them.

The director stated that among the supportive comments and words of condolence, she had also encountered threatening and insulting remarks.

“This is extremely upsetting,” she said. “We acknowledge that passions are strong, but we request compassion and decency as we handle this tragic predicament.”

The proprietor declined to comment.

The government department stated that the choice to euthanise the big cats was the responsibility of the landowners, and that it had been advised of the intention.

A high-ranking officer stated that humane killing had to be conducted humanely, and in line with animal welfare law.

“An compliance official will be present to verify this is done properly,” the representative stated. “We are assured that the operation continues to meet its animal welfare and security obligations.”

The park gained a degree of notoriety in the early 2000s when it featured on a broadcast series about a well-known lion tamer.

However, it rapidly encountered difficulties. In 2009, a keeper was killed by a big cat while performing maintenance.

The park frequently experienced economic issues and staffing problems, and had multiple owners on several occasions. In 2014, the government agency directed the establishment to shut down until the facilities were upgraded. It resumed operations in 2021 but went into liquidation in 2023.