Zion puts sick lion down

A sick lion has been euthanised at Zion Wildlife Gardens.

A lion at the Zion Wildlife Kingdom had to be put down after vets could not discover what was wrong with the animal.

Under the operator's licence issued by the Ministry of Primary Industries, park operators are not required to inform the ministry if they are planning to euthanise an animal.

Martin Weekes, a director of Bolton Equities that bought the business in early 2014, said people needed to understand animals in the enclosures were getting old and would have issues in future. He said a tiger which had a lump in an eye was recently operated on and was expected to make a full recovery, while the lion was put down in the past few weeks.

"When an animal becomes sick, as was the case with this lion, we run blood tests, urine tests and the animal just wouldn't eat and becomes more sick.

"If you can't find out what happened to it, do you let it suffer or you do the most humane thing and put it down? Some were declawed by Craig (Busch, former operator) and they'll have difficulty walking properly and can't climb as it puts pressure on their feet," he said.

Mr Martin said park staff would have to keep an eye out on the health of de-clawed cats in future.

Ministry spokesman Jim Flack said Zion was required to report annually on the number of animals it has. The reporting period is July 1 to June 30.

"But they are not required to tell us if any animal dies in an enclosure until that reporting period is finished."

The park's reopening has been further delayed as upgrading has still not been completed. Mr Weeks earlier hinted the reopening would be some time in the New Year.

The Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) first ordered the park closed to the public between July 1 and July 31, 2014, while the animal enclosures were upgraded to meet new standards. MPI then extended the closure until August 31 but the upgrading still has not been completed.

Mr Weekes said most of the upgrades had been finished, except six new enclosures. There was slight delay in the construction of the new areas as the park management and the new keepers were taking another look at their designs. The new enclosures are not requirements set by the MPI, but are needed by the park for more space.