A tiger involved in a fatal attack on a man at Yorkshire Wildlife Park had previously been described as a "very calm" animal. The incident occurred after the visitor got inside the enclosure, and police have appealed to the public not to circulate reported distressing footage of the mauling.
Tiger's Previous Praise
The description of the tiger as "very calm" came from Charlotte MacDonald, Director of Animals at the park, in March 2025. She was speaking about Altai, a three-year-old male Amur tiger who arrived from Dyreparken in Norway in February 2025.
MacDonald said: "He is a beautiful, huge cat and very calm and receptive, his keepers at Dyreparken have clearly done a great job with him. It will take him a while to settle in at the Park as it is a big change for him but hopefully he will be out in the Land of the Tiger in the coming weeks."
Altai was described at the time as a "nice and calm tiger" who "loves his training, eating and especially enjoys playing in the water outside". The identity of the tiger that attacked the visitor has not been confirmed.
Popular Attraction
The tigers are among the most popular attractions at the park, with hundreds of visitors making "Land of the Tigers" an essential stop. Positioned at the heart of a 300-metre-long elevated walkway, the area offers the "best views" of the "magnificent big cats". Guests can observe the tigers wandering through woodland and grassland and splashing in their own waterfall pool.
The park, which focuses on conservation, houses Amur Tigers, also known as Siberian Tigers. These are the largest of the big cats in the world, but their numbers have plummeted to as few as 20 to 30 individuals at one point. International awareness and conservation programmes helped boost their numbers back to over 500 in the wild.
Resident Tigers
Notable residents include a tigress named Tschuna, who arrived in 2013 and gave birth to three cubs two years later. All three cubs relocated to different parks around the world to participate in the species breeding programme. When Altai arrived, it was hoped he and Tschuna would mate.
Eye witnesses say a "black screen" has been erected around the tiger enclosure following the incident.
