A man has died after being attacked by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, with zookeepers reportedly firing shots into the air in a bid to distract the animal.
Emergency services were alerted shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday (October 10) when the man entered the enclosure and was pounced upon by the tiger. He was pronounced dead at the scene, South Yorkshire Police (SYP) confirmed, adding that his family had been notified.
Shocking footage circulating online appeared to show the victim standing while making gestures towards a tiger, before being savaged. Witnesses shouted from an observation platform attempting to distract the animal, with one onlooker heard crying "Jesus Christ" and a woman heard saying "I tried to stop him" and "Don't look," as reported by the Manchester Evening News.
Zookeepers' response
Brave zookeepers managed to scare the beast away by firing several gunshots into the air, causing it to flee to a nearby shelter. The animal remained uninjured, and the park has since confirmed it will not be euthanised following the incident.
A source revealed: "Shots were fired into the air to make a noise and distract the tiger. The animal wasn't shot and is absolutely fine and not injured. The barriers are huge. You would have to really want to get inside the enclosure to be able to do it. From start to end the incident was over within minutes. The keepers did everything they could. It's horrific."
Emergency crews rushed to the scene before a "black screen" was swiftly put up around the enclosure. The park was evacuated, and officers remained on scene carrying out enquiries.
Witness accounts
One guest disclosed she had witnessed the victim's conduct just 20 minutes before he jumped into the Amur tigers' two-acre enclosure. She said: "Twenty minutes before today's tragic incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park this tiger was sat enjoying the sunshine. The man who I saw on the bridge with his AirPods in dancing was happily enjoying seeing the tiger. He obviously wasn't with anyone and he asked a total stranger to take a picture of him with the tiger in the background. Probably the last photo on his phone. I'm not sure if he was with a carer or family member but I honestly do think he just wanted to play with the tiger."
Visitor Tia Hanson said: "It looks as if someone has jumped into the enclosure. There were loads of police and ambulance people and a stretcher in the enclosure as well. It wasn't nice - there were lots of people who looked really upset. They put up all sort of black tarpaulin so you couldn't really see."
Karmelle Pelham, 39, from Worksop, was enjoying a family day out when staff informed visitors that the park required immediate evacuation. She recalled: "We were in a lemur enclosure and somebody asked us to start leaving. Then, all of a sudden, we were being ushered further and further into the park." She described subsequently hearing multiple gunshots before a helicopter appeared overhead, adding: "That's when we started thinking, 'Oh, something's happened'."
Park statement and response
A statement on the park's website said: "We can confirm a serious incident has occurred at the tiger enclosure. Our emergency response procedures were immediately activated. We are working closely with the authorities to ascertain exactly what happened. The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff and animals remain our highest priority. The park is now closed and will remain closed tomorrow."
Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones said in a statement she was "deeply saddened to hear of the tragic incident that has taken place today at Yorkshire Wildlife Park", adding: "My thoughts and prayers are with all those involved at this immensely difficult time."
A South Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "At 1.35pm today (Saturday 10 October) we received reports of a man entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. The tiger subsequently attacked the man, resulting in serious injury. Emergency services attended and sadly, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. The man's family is aware and is being supported by specialist officers. Our thoughts are with them at this distressing time. Regarding rumours surrounding the condition of the tiger, the animal was uninjured and remained in the enclosure following the incident and there is no wider risk to the public."
Yorkshire Wildlife Park first opened in April 2009. In 2011, its Land of the Tigers attraction was launched, allowing visitors to watch the big cats from a 300-metre-long elevated walkway positioned above the enclosure. The park is home to two Amur tigers: a 17-stone female named Tschuna and a male called Altai, who only arrived in March last year.
A Yorkshire Air Ambulance spokesperson confirmed: "We can confirm that Yorkshire Air Ambulance was dispatched to an incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park today, alongside other ambulance resources."
