Investor Consortium Saves Northland’s Last Five Lions Following Desperate Campaign to Halt Sanctuary Euthanasia

Five lions at the former Lion Man sanctuary avoid euthanasia after a group of investors buys the 32.5ha property. Read about the last-minute rescue mission.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 2, 2026, 6:02 AM EST

Source: The information in this article was sourced from OneRoof

A Private Rescue Mission for the Kamo Five

The five remaining lions at the Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary in Northland have been granted a reprieve after a group of private investors stepped in to purchase the former tourist attraction. The intervention was spearheaded by the animal rescue organization HUHA (Helping You Help Animals) after reports emerged that the big cats were scheduled to be put down due to the park’s closure. HUHA founder Carolyn Press-McKenzie revealed that the euthanasia process was placed on hold while her team worked to assemble a consortium capable of maintaining the property as a viable animal sanctuary. The successful sale ensures the survival of the lions named Shikira, Cleo, Abdullah, Timba, and Themba.

Tragedy and Turmoil in Sanctuary History

The sanctuary has been plagued by a series of high-profile incidents and financial collapses since its inception as Zion Wildlife Gardens. Founded by big cat wrangler Craig Busch, who attained global celebrity as the "Lion Man," the park once housed a diverse collection of 33 endangered animals. However, the site’s history took a dark turn in 2009 when zookeeper Dalu Mncube was mauled to death by a white tiger, leading to immediate safety upgrades and temporary closure. Financial instability followed, resulting in Busch losing control of the facility to his mother before the property eventually fell into the hands of a finance company due to mortgage defaults.

The Financial Burden of Big Cat Conservation

Maintaining the facility has proven to be an immense financial undertaking for successive owners. Bolton Equities, which acquired the property in 2014, reportedly invested approximately 9 million dollars in infrastructure upgrades to satisfy stringent Ministry for Primary Industries safety requirements. Despite these efforts and a rebranding to Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary in 2021, the operating business entered involuntary liquidation just two years later. Laurie Margrain, director of Bolton Equities, confirmed that while the original plan was to sell the 32.5-hectare asset without the animals, the final deal was modified to include the future care of the lions.