Chilling footage has emerged showing the tiger involved in the fatal attack at Yorkshire Wildlife Park calmly roaming its enclosure around an hour before a man was mauled to death. The footage, shared online by Aerion Reporters, shows Altai, an Amur tiger, walking around the enclosure before the tragedy unfolded at the Doncaster attraction on Saturday.
Footage shows tiger before fatal encounter
The account said the footage showed the animal "calmly roaming its enclosure an hour before man's fatal encounter at UK wildlife park." Separate footage previously shared by Yorkshire Wildlife Park also shows Altai when he first arrived at the attraction. In the clip, the tiger can be seen exploring his new surroundings, with the park writing at the time: "Altai has taken his first steps on Yorkshire soil."
The footage has resurfaced following the horrific incident on Saturday, October 10, when a man entered the tiger enclosure. Emergency services were contacted shortly after 1.30pm after the man entered and he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Police urge public not to share attack footage
South Yorkshire Police said the man's family had been informed and was being supported by specialist officers. Videos circulating online following the tragedy appeared to show a man being pawed at and grappled by Altai inside the enclosure. In separate footage, the voice of the as-yet-unidentified man appeared to be heard asking people to take a photograph of him with the tiger before the fatal incident.
Police have said they are aware of footage of the attack circulating online and have urged members of the public not to share it.
Park reassures public over tiger's welfare
Yorkshire Wildlife Park later sought to reassure people concerned about Altai following an outpouring of messages about the animal. In a statement, the park said "many, many people" had contacted staff about the tiger and confirmed Altai was "safe and well" and would not be euthanised. The park also said members of its team had been "deeply affected" by what happened and were receiving specialist support.
Police separately confirmed that the tiger had not been injured and remained inside its enclosure following the incident. South Yorkshire Police previously said: "Regarding rumours surrounding the condition of the tiger, the animal was uninjured and remained in the enclosure following the incident and there is no wider risk to the public."
Park remains closed as investigation continues
Yorkshire Wildlife Park remains closed today, Tuesday, as investigations into the man's death continue. The attraction's official website currently lists the park as closed on Tuesday, October 13, with opening times showing it is due to reopen on Wednesday, October 14, from 9.45am to 5pm.
The park has said it is working closely with the authorities following the fatal incident, while the neighbouring Yorkshire Hive remains open as usual. The Land of the Tigers attraction opened in 2011 and is a purpose-built two-acre reserve for Amur tigers. The endangered subspecies is among the world's rarest big cats, with around 500 believed to remain in the wild.
