- Five lions at Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary were saved after investors bought the former tourist attraction.
- Animal charity HUHA organised the buyers to prevent the lions’ euthanasia following the park’s closure.
- The sanctuary, once home to 33 big cats, faced financial issues and ownership changes over the years.
The five remaining lions at Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary have been saved after a group of investors bought the former Northland tourist attraction.
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Wellington-based animal rescue organisation HUHA brought the buyers together after news broke late last year that the big cats would be put down as a result of the park’s closure and sale.
Two of the lions at the park, Imvula and Sibili, were put down in November after they were reported to have untreatable conditions.
HUHA (Helping You Help Animals) was determined to save the five remaining lions: Shikira, Cleo, Abdullah, Timba and Themba.
HUHA founder Carolyn Press-McKenzie told OneRoof that a member of the public contacted the charity after reading that the lions would be killed and asked for action.
Cleo is one of five lions at Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary. The big cats have been saved after the animal charity HUHA intervened. Photo / NZME
Lion Man Craig Busch at the height of his fame, with lion cubs Aslan and Mardia. Photo / Northern Advocate
“The euthanasia was put on hold while we zoomed around and tried to come up with a solution,” she told OneRoof. The HUHA team contacted the park vendors, Bolton Equities, and asked the company to delay any decisions around the future of the animals and the property.
HUHA’s plan involved bringing a consortium of investors together to keep the property open as an animal sanctuary. Press-McKenzie confirmed this week that the consortium had bought the park and, as a result, the five lions had been saved.
“We didn’t buy it. We got a group of investors together. But we are not announcing [plans for the park] just yet. It has been a bit of a long, bumpy journey. But it went well.”
The listing for the 32.5ha property at 124 Gray Road, in Kamo, said the property came with enclosures and accommodation, but not the lions that made it famous.
The property listing said that subdivision consent for four lots had been granted, offering potential for development or investment.
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The sanctuary has had a tumultuous history. It was originally known as Zion Wildlife Gardens and was founded by self-taught big cat “wrangler” Craig Busch, who rose to local and international fame through the TV series The Lion Man. The property once housed 33 endangered cats, including lions, white tigers, leopards and cheetahs.
By 2006, the park faced financial difficulties, with Busch accepting a bailout from his mother, Patricia Busch, who became the sole director. Her son was later dismissed in 2008.
In 2009, tragedy struck when zookeeper Dalu Mncube was mauled to death by a white tiger named Abu. The tiger was shot to allow access to Mncube. This incident led to temporary closure and safety upgrades.
Then, in 2013, Busch’s mother, Patricia, lost control of the park to a finance company due to mortgage defaults.
The property hit the market late last year after a tumultuous history. Photo / Supplied
Inside one of the accommodation buildings on the 32.5ha property. Photo / Supplied
The Northern Advocate reported that Auckland-based Bolton Equities bought the property in 2014 and invested $9m in upgrades to meet Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) requirements.
The park business reopened under new management in 2021 under the brand Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary, but went into involuntary liquidation two years later. It remained open to the public until late last year.
According to Companies Office records, Kamo Wildlife Sanctuary Limited is currently owned by Auckland-based rich-lister Murray Bolton and Robyn Bolton.
The property was sold by Bayleys Whangārei agent Tracy Dalzell. The original tender closed on September 10 last year, however, the purchase didn’t go through until February this year.
Bolton Equities director Laurie Margrain confirmed to OneRoof that the property had settled last Thursday.
“We have met the objective of selling the asset and [securing] the future of the lions. Originally there was a proposition to sell the asset and we had planned to transfer the asset without the lions. But this deal is the asset including the lions.”
Margrain said the deal was private “between the acquirer and ourselves”. He would not be drawn on the price.
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