Yorkshire Wildlife Park has confirmed it will reopen on Friday, October 16, following the death of a man who was mauled by a tiger after entering the enclosure last weekend. The park also announced that the tiger involved, named Altai, will not be euthanised.
Inquest confirms cause of death
An inquest confirmed on Thursday that William Chapman, 24, died from severe injuries sustained during the mauling. The inquest also heard that he had a history of mental illness and a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
The park has been closed since the incident, which occurred on Saturday.
Park statement on reopening and Altai
In a statement released on Thursday evening, the park said: "Yorkshire Wildlife Park will reopen tomorrow (Friday) following the tragic incident that occurred at the park on Saturday."
The statement continued: "Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family, friends and loved ones of William Chapman who sadly lost his life. The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff team and animals remain our highest priority. We would like to thank all the people who have emailed, commented on our social media or contacted us with messages of support and love for our team at this time."
Addressing concerns about Altai, the park added: "Many people also contacted us about Altai, the tiger. We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident."
Support for staff and visitors
The park also asked for understanding from visitors, stating: "As we welcome visitors back, we would ask everyone to be understanding and respectful towards our staff team, who have shown tremendous professionalism and dedication during an exceptionally difficult time."
It added: "We are providing specialist trauma support and ongoing care for those affected. As enquiries remain ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on circumstances at this time. We would like to thank everyone for their patience, understanding and support during this difficult period, and we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the Park."
