Zion Wildlife Gardens $2m in debt

Whangarei's world famous Zion Wildlife Gardens is in receivership over unpaid debts, throwing the future of the park's 36 big cats in doubt.
The park is understood to be in the red by about $2 million and operator Patricia Busch will file an injunction in court to prevent receivers PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) from interfering with more than 36 animals housed at the facility.
Mrs Busch took over the park from her son Craig Busch - who shot to international stardom in the hit TV programme The Lion Man - after he got into financial difficulty in 2006.
Her lawyer, Evgeny Orlov, said problems arose after Rabo Bank called in the receivers who tried to take over the park yesterday but were told not to touch the animals.
Mr Orlov said the short-term plan was to file an injunction in court and in the long-term, he would write to the Government and local authorities in Northland to help put the big cats in a trust.
Receivers Colin McCloy and David Bridgman of PwC were working closely with an independent zoo expert, who was not related to any prior operator, to ensure the welfare and containment standards were maintained.
Mrs Busch, 70, said she put everything on the line to save the animals, and the park, by lending her son $1.2 million to pay out his previous business partner, his legal bill, personal debts and for bailing out the park.
"I initially lent him [Craig Busch] $650,000, part of which was to pay out his former business partner and High Court work cost over $250,00. It rose to $1.2 million for bailout, personal debts and various other costs of the Zion Park," Mrs Busch said.
She said the park's financial situation got worse after wildlife encounters were stopped, the death of big cat handler Dalu MnCube, and the ongoing legal stoush between her and her son.
"If the receivers now move in, the cats will be separated, some will be sold overseas, some will be re-housed and for those that cannot, will be put down," Mrs Busch said.
In 2009, she claimed the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MAF) suggested that euthanising the big cats was a real possibility.
MAF neither confirmed nor denied the suggestion.
Acting director-general of MAF Andrew Coleman said if Zion were to close permanently, the ministry would, in conjunction with other players, secure the animals' future locally or overseas.
He said MAF would work closely with the receivers to ensure the animals' welfare and containment requirements were maintained.
"Currently there are no specific animal welfare concerns arising at Zion which require intervention by MAF," Mr Coleman said.
Acting Whangarei Mayor Phil Halse said the council had helped bring the wildlife park to Kamo as it saw it as a great attraction for the district.
"I haven't heard [that it may close] but I would expect an approach [for help] from them if that was the case," Mr Halse said.
Mr Halse said Zion's owners had not approached the council for such help, but he would welcome them talking to him.
Former park manager Tim Husband, who was hired after Mr MnCube's death, said the sale of Zion may be good for the animals.
He said Mrs Busch called him some time back to ask if he was interested in investing in the park but he declined.
"When I left, I was owed a lot of money but I think once all the debt is settled and her property sold, she'll eventually pay up."
Mr Husband said that, before he left Zion at the end of 2009, MAF asked him to draw up a contingency plan in case the park closed down and he doesn't think the animals will have to be put down.