Zookeepers at Yorkshire Wildlife Park have been praised for their quick response after a man was fatally mauled by a tiger on Saturday, October 10. Witnesses praised the keepers for doing "all they could" to halt the attack after the man climbed into the enclosure and was set upon by big cat Altai. The man sadly died after suffering serious injuries.
Quick action by staff
After the man entered the enclosure, staff reportedly discharged gas-powered acoustic guns into the air to scare off the endangered Amur tiger, causing it to withdraw to an adjacent shelter, where it was promptly secured. The tiger was left unharmed, bosses confirmed.
One source said: "From start to end, the incident was over within minutes. The keepers did everything they could. It's horrific." Amy, of Wakefield, recounted seeing police officers alongside three female keepers who were seated on the ground in the aftermath. "One had her head in her hands," she said.
Incident details
The two-acre enclosure at the park near Doncaster is surrounded by a five-metre-high fence, and it is believed the man leapt from a viewing platform positioned atop the fence at one of its corners, reports the Express.
One eyewitness alleged that the man had posed for a photograph with the big cat visible in the background prior to the incident, and had been dancing and "happily enjoying seeing the tiger" on the bridge overlooking the enclosure.
Marie wrote on Facebook: "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. Tragic for the family. Tragic for the staff who were brilliant but in shock. Thankfully the tiger survived."
Investigation ongoing
The man has yet to be identified and the reasons behind his decision to enter the enclosure remain unclear. A separate eyewitness said that the man appeared to "psyche himself up" by performing a "dance" in the viewing area before crossing into the enclosure, all while listening to music through his earphones.
Further zoo visitors claimed they made attempts to stop him from breaching the enclosure, with one woman heard on video footage crying out: "I tried to stop him." Officers have urged members of the public to refrain from sharing the deeply distressing footage of the incident, which has been widely circulated across social media platforms.
The park remains closed while investigations are ongoing. Yorkshire Wildlife Park stated: "Our emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and emergency services are currently attending the scene." The park will be closed today whilst 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.
