A man died after being attacked by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster on Saturday, despite zookeepers firing shots into the air in an attempt to halt the assault. Emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm when the man accessed the enclosure and was attacked by the animal. He was pronounced dead at the scene, South Yorkshire Police confirmed, and his family has been notified.
Witnesses describe the incident
Distressing footage circulating online appeared to show the victim standing and gesturing towards a tiger before being attacked, as witnesses shouted from an observation platform to try to distract the animal. One male witness was heard exclaiming "Jesus Christ", while a woman was heard saying: "I tried to stop him." She was also heard instructing another observer: "Don't look," as the scene unfolded.
Zookeepers managed to scare the creature away by firing several gunshots into the air, causing it to withdraw to a nearby shelter. The animal remained uninjured, according to reports from the Manchester Evening News and the Mirror.
Visitor accounts and park response
One visitor said she had seen the victim about 20 minutes before he entered the two-acre enclosure housing Amur tigers. "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," she said. "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 at the park when staff began informing visitors of an immediate evacuation. She described hearing several gunshots before a helicopter appeared overhead.
An insider said: "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."
Official statements and background
A statement on the park's website confirmed: "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 she was "deeply saddened to hear of the tragic incident that has taken place today at Yorkshire Wildlife Park".
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 unveiled, allowing visitors to view 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 named Altai, who arrived in March of last year. A Yorkshire Air Ambulance spokesperson confirmed the service was dispatched to the incident alongside other ambulance resources.
