An animal keeper has claimed that a tiger involved in a fatal incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park may not have fully understood what was happening when a man entered its enclosure. Reece Oliver, speaking to Sky News, suggested the big cat could have initially mistaken the man for a plaything, though he was careful to stress that the precise circumstances surrounding the tragedy remain unclear.
Keeper's account of the tiger's behaviour
Speaking to Sky News, Oliver explained how the tiger, named Altai, may have responded when the man entered its territory. He said: "He's not sure whether it's an enrichment toy. It looked, from the videos that we've seen online, that the tiger was playing with him," reports Yorkshire Live.
Oliver went on to say that he did not believe the animal had necessarily set out to kill the man, but cautioned that even apparently playful behaviour from a tiger could prove catastrophic. "I don't think he was actually going to try and kill the man because I think he would have done it far sooner," he said.
"But obviously you're talking about a 200 kilo cat. The pressure from his jaw, from his claws, they're catastrophic injuries for a human. There's pretty much less than a 1% chance of a survival."
Investigation and park closure
Nevertheless, Oliver stressed that it would be premature to draw any firm conclusions before the investigation had been completed. "But, until we see the evidence, we can't say what happened because I wasn't there. Until the investigation's over, it's hard to say exactly what's happened," he told Sky News.
Emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday, October 10, after a man entered the tiger enclosure at the park near Doncaster and was attacked. South Yorkshire Police confirmed that he died at the scene and that his family had been notified.
Footage circulating online appears to show the man being pawed at and grappled by Altai. A further video seemingly shows the man asking onlookers to photograph him alongside the tiger shortly before the attack. Police have acknowledged the footage and urged members of the public not to share it.
Park remains shut and tiger's welfare confirmed
The park had initially been expected to reopen on Monday following its evacuation after Saturday's incident, having remained shut on Sunday. However, visitors with existing bookings were informed on Monday morning that the attraction would remain closed for the entire day. In a message to ticket holders, the park stated: "Due to the serious incident that occurred at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, the 10th of October, unfortunately the park remains closed for the whole of Monday, the 12th October."
Customers who had purchased tickets for Monday will be contacted within five working days with details about rescheduling their visit. In the wake of the tragedy, Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed that Altai was "safe and well" and would not be euthanised. Staff members affected by the incident are being provided with specialist support.
Oliver stressed that visitors must bear in mind that enclosures are the animals' domain, not spaces for people to enter. "I think we've just got to be respectful that that's their home," he said. "We're there to exhibit, learn about these animals and it's all for conservation." He went on to say: "We shouldn't try and enter with the tiger especially as it can be a fatal situation for both parties."
Yorkshire Wildlife Park first opened its doors in 2009, with its Land of the Tigers attraction following two years later. The two-acre reserve is home to Amur tigers, an endangered subspecies, with approximately 500 believed to remain in the wild.
