Zookeepers have been praised for their quick response after a man was attacked and killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park yesterday. Visitors said the keepers did "all they could" to stop the attack after the man clambered into the enclosure and was mauled by big cat Altai. He tragically passed away from his injuries on Saturday.
Keepers' quick actions
Quick-acting staff fired gas-powered acoustic guns into the air to frighten away the endangered Amur tiger, causing it to retreat to a nearby shelter, where it was quickly secured. The tiger was unharmed.
One source told Manchester Evening News: "From start to end, the incident was over within minutes. The keepers did everything they could. It's horrific."
Witness accounts
Amy, of Wakefield, West Yorks, said she saw police officers with three female keepers who were sitting on the floor following the incident. "One had her head in her hands," she said.
A five-metre-high fence surrounds the two-acre enclosure in the park near Doncaster. It is thought that the man leapt from a viewing platform atop the fence at one corner.
An eyewitness claimed the man posed for a photo with the big cat in the background before the incident, and had been dancing and "happily enjoying seeing the tiger" on the bridge of 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 underway
The man has not yet been identified and it is not known why he entered the enclosure.
Another witness also claimed the man appeared to "psyche himself up" by doing a "dance" in the spectator area before entering the enclosure while listening to his earphones.
Other zoogoers claimed they tried to prevent him from entering the enclosure, with one woman heard on footage shouting: "I tried to stop him."
Police have urged the public not to share the distressing footage of the incident, which has been circulating on social media.
The park remains closed today while investigations take place. Yorkshire Wildlife Park said: "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."
