Craig Busch is reportedly to return to help run the big cat wildlife park he founded in Whangarei.
The receivers for Zion Wildlife Gardens have confirmed the sale of the debt-ridden park to a company called Zion Wildlife Kingdom and say they understand the purchaser has engaged Mr Busch to help run the enterprise.
Receivers Colin McCloy and David Bridgman of PricewaterhouseCoopers visited the site on Tuesday to give staff notice and said the purchasers were now in possession of the keys to the property.
Mr Busch has fought a long legal battle to wrest control of the park and its animals from his mother, Patricia Busch, who lent him money to pay off debt, took over as director, and then sacked him in 2008.
The following year, one of the Zion keepers, Dalu Mncube, was mauled to death by a tiger.
