The first visitor to the wildlife park where William Chapman tragically lost his life in a tiger attack last week has spoken of the eerie atmosphere after the park reopened.
Last Saturday, Chapman, 24, was mauled to death at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park after climbing into the tiger's enclosure. Zoo visitor and journalist Chris Riches visited the park after it opened its doors again following the fatal attack.
An eerie silence at the entrance
Riches said: “It was eerily silent at the entrance to the 150-acre zoo, near Doncaster, at 9.45am on Friday as the park finally reopened six days after schizophrenic Chapman, 24, climbed into the enclosure to confront Altai the Siberian tiger.”
Despite the eerie atmosphere, he added that staff were polite and professional despite the international coverage Chapman’s death had garnered.
Surprise at the tiger enclosure
Riches said: “Staff were polite and appeared thankful for the visit, maybe fearing that the tragedy's global spread - even sparking cruel memes by US President Donald Trump - would keep visitors away. As the sun baked the magnificently, modern and smart grounds, photographer Andy Stenning and I made the 10 minute trek to the tiger enclosure, nestled in the heart of the zoo.”
The zoo visitor said he was surprised the tiger enclosure where the attack had taken place had not been closed off. But upon visiting the "Land of the Tigers" enclosure he had a shocking realisation.
He said: “I must admit, I expected the two-acre 'Land of the Tigers' enclosure to be fenced off for visitors today, perhaps to let interest in the fatal attack calm down before the public saw Altai again.
“But when we strode down the wooden walkway that overlooks the two tiger pens - one for five year-old male Altai and the other for the older female Tschuna, who has been there since 2013, security guards were present.
"It wasn't long before I spotted Altai - walking out of his indoor area clenching a huge slab of raw meat between his fearsome jaws. He is enormous and terrifying. The fear that Chapman must have felt despite his mental health issues does not bear thinking about.
“But aside from security there were only a handful of visitors shared this awesome sight with me; I had expected hundreds to flood the walkways to see the 440-pound creature.”
Concern over Trump's reaction
Riches voiced concern at US President Donald Trump posting an AI video of himself playing with the apex predator after the fatal tiger attack went viral online.
Chapman had suffered from 'significant mental illness over a number of years', his family said in a statement.
The journalist said: “Why the leader of the free world felt Chapman's grisly death was something to joke about it beyond any of us.
"Because standing face to face with both tigers this morning you can only be in their awe of them as nature's top predators - and shiver in horror as you ponder 'just what made Chapman do what he did?'"
