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Source: ONE News -
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The receivers of Whangarei's Zion Wildlife Gardens have confirmed wildlife are likely to remain at the park.
There was public outrage recently when the receivers, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, raised the possibility of putting down the remaining 36 big cats.
Receiver Colin McCloy says a High Court decision this morning has removed barriers to the sale of the park, but the receivers are no longer laying claim to the animals.
The receivers, continue to work towards the sale of the park as a going concern, McCloy said in a statement.
"Under the sale arrangement, we expect the wildlife to remain at the park," he added.
Details were commercially sensitive and as a result, the receivers were not in position to comment further.
PriceWaterhouseCoopers was appointed receiver by Rabobank.
Rabobank said last week the receivers were moving forward with plans to sell the park, with the wildlife, to an interested purchaser and a conditional contract was in place.
Rabobank general manager New Zealand, Ben Russell, said then that the receivers were acting to ensure the wildlife park is sold as a going concern.
He said there has never been any intention to euthanise any of the animals at Zion Wildlife Gardens.
"The welfare of the wildlife is a priority - they are being very well cared for and the planned sale of the park would enable them to remain in place," he said.
Zion Wildlife Gardens rose to fame through the Lion Man Television series, fronted by Lion Man Craig Busch, who opened Zion in 2002.
Hi mother Patricia Busch took over in 2006 after she raised loans to help pay off growing debts.
Craig's employment ended in 2008, sparking a long-running legal battle between the pair.
Members of the public watched as Dalu Mcnube was killed in May 2009 while he was cleaning a tiger enclosure.
Craig publicly criticised safety standards at Zion, following the fatal mauling.
But claims of animal cruelty were subsequently made against Craig Busch, with staff claiming he had cruelly killed unwanted cubs.
Busch denied he had ever mistreated any animals.