Yorkshire Wildlife Park reopened its gates on Friday after six days of closure, following the death of a visitor who entered a Siberian tiger's enclosure. A Daily Express reporter who arrived for the 9.45am opening found a queue of only eight or nine people at the start of the day, and the park was never packed out at any point.
The reporter had travelled from Manchester expecting crowds drawn to see where the tragedy happened and to see the tiger involved, and was surprised to end up among the first two places in the queue.
How the tragedy unfolded
On the previous Saturday afternoon, William Chapman, 24, who had schizophrenia, climbed over a viewing platform barrier and a metal perimeter fence to enter the pen of Altai, a five-year-old male tiger. Chapman clambered over the top of the fence, jumped five metres down into the paddock and live-streamed himself on Instagram walking up to the 440-pound big cat as it slept on a raised platform.
On Thursday, an inquest was opened at Doncaster Coroner's Court and heard that Chapman was pronounced dead at the scene and died of "multiple traumatic injuries and animal interaction".
Visitors describe feeling safe
Security guards patrolling the walkways by the two tiger paddocks were polite and smiling, with little to do. Staff by the main entrance were welcoming and appeared genuinely thankful for every visitor who made the trip. Most of those the reporter spoke to said they had come to support a park they loved, rather than out of morbid curiosity.
Visitor Viki Smith, 25, had travelled from the north east of England to stay at the park's onsite Hex Wildlife Hotel, a trip arranged in advance, and said she was pleased the park had reopened. She said: "The staff at the hotel were so happy we had come because I think some feared the incident would frighten visitors away. I have felt very safe here today and I think we just have to view this as a complete one-off tragedy and move on. I don't see what they could do any better here to be honest."
Nicola Pawlak, 21, of Doncaster, South Yorkshire, said she has always felt safe at the park and felt sorry for Chapman's family. She said: "What happened was so awful. I could not believe it when I heard the news. I have been here a number of times and been to that tiger enclosure." She added: "I have never felt concerned for my safety and the staff are amazing here, so kind and easy to talk to. It's important we support the park as it is an important local attraction."
Impact on the park
The park has faced social media criticism and negative publicity since the death, and the reporter noted that any effect on its finances could harm the animals. Chapman's family fear his mental health played a key part in his death. Altai paid little attention to onlookers on Friday morning after keepers fed him.
