An eyewitness has described the final moments before a man was fatally attacked by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster. Del Taylor said the man approached her on the viewing platform and asked her to take his photograph with Altai the Siberian tiger in the background, moments before he entered the enclosure.
Eyewitness account of the encounter
Speaking to The Sun, Taylor said the unnamed man asked her: "Can you grab a shot of myself with the tiger?" She then took the man's mobile phone while he posed with the tiger behind him. Video footage captured by her partner showed the man laughing as he requested "one more, one more, one more", before saying: "Thank you, lady."
The pair then moved away, and shortly afterwards the man scaled the barrier and entered the enclosure. Taylor told the publication: "He was completely alone." She added: "At first he was dancing on the bridge overlooking the enclosure. He ended up standing next to me. My partner was recording the tiger and you can hear me having this interaction."
Attempts to intervene
Another guest at the park reportedly attempted to pull the victim back onto the viewing bridge, but he "pulled away from her" and entered the enclosure, another witness claimed. They told the Mirror that the woman "wasn't strong enough" to restrain the man, and so he "pulled away from her, climbed down, and jumped about 12ft" into the pen. He then "knelt in front of the tiger", they added.
The witness stated: "But then the young man started yelling at the tiger and waving his finger at him, yelling, 'No', and the tiger grabbed him by the neck. It all happened very fast. The tiger staff were in there quickly, and fired two shots to the ground to scare the tiger away from the man."
Park response and aftermath
The man had reportedly been dancing with his mobile phone and wearing Apple AirPods before he climbed over the fence. Rangers who discharged warning shots and "did everything they could" to prevent the tragedy have been provided with "specialist support". Keepers succeeded in frightening away Altai by discharging gas-powered acoustic guns into the air, prompting him to withdraw to a nearby shelter. The big cat was swiftly secured, but the man was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park stated: "We would like to thank everyone who has expressed their concern following [Saturday's] tragic incident. Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family and loved ones of the man who tragically lost his life. The park will be closed while the staff team who were deeply affected by events receive specialist support."
The park added: "Many, many people have 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."
