Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary in Whangarei says it must euthanize seven elderly lions as the park closes due to severe financial strain. The lions, aged 18–21, are older than typical wild lifespans and — according to the sanctuary — cannot realistically be re-homed at other New Zealand zoos. The park has appealed for donations and even unwanted livestock to feed the cats, which eat about the equivalent of three cows a week. The site previously featured on TV with Craig "the Lion Man" Busch and was temporarily closed after a 2009 fatal mauling.
Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary to Euthanize Seven Elderly Lions as Park Closes amid Financial Crisis
Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary in Whangarei says it must euthanize seven elderly lions as the park closes due to severe financial strain. The lions, aged 18–21, are older than typical wild lifespans and — according to the sanctuary — cannot realistically be re-homed at other New Zealand zoos. The park has appealed for donations and even unwanted livestock to feed the cats, which eat about the equivalent of three cows a week. The site previously featured on TV with Craig "the Lion Man" Busch and was temporarily closed after a 2009 fatal mauling.
17:44, 05.11.2025Society
Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary to put down seven elderly lions as it shuts
The Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary in Whangarei, northern New Zealand, has announced it will be forced to euthanize seven elderly lions after the park ran into severe financial difficulties and decided to close.
"There were no real options left. The staff and I are devastated," sanctuary operator Janette Vallance said in a statement. The seven lions are aged between 18 and 21 years — ages that typically exceed their expected lifespan in the wild.
The sanctuary said there were no realistic options to re-home the animals at other New Zealand zoos. Its website explains that caring for large predators carries high costs: feed, supplements, experienced staff, compound and grounds maintenance, veterinary care and more.
"Our extraordinary majestic big cats come at enormous cost to maintain in an ideal environment such as a Wildlife Sanctuary. Feed, supplements, experienced staff, compound and grounds maintenance, vets, and more all exert pressure on our purse," the park wrote on its site.
The park previously appealed for unwanted cows or horses to feed its big cats, saying the lions consume roughly the equivalent of three cows' worth of meat each week and that supplies were running low.
The sanctuary's website currently lists 12 lions and one Bengal tiger; the seven animals named for euthanasia are described as the elderly cohort. The park says many of its big cats were brought to New Zealand from overseas between the ages of six months and three years.
History and controversies
Kamo gained public attention in the early 2000s after featuring in a television programme about celebrity big-cat handler Craig "the Lion Man" Busch. Busch was later accused of animal welfare breaches, including keeping animals in sub-standard enclosures.
In 2009 a keeper was fatally mauled by a white tiger at the sanctuary; following that incident the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry ordered the site's temporary closure, RNZ reported.
As the sanctuary winds down, it has asked the public for donations to help with remaining costs. "The memories and legacy of these incredible animals will live on in the hearts of many," the park said.