A man has died after entering the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster, England, on Saturday afternoon. South Yorkshire Police were called at 1:35 p.m. after reports of a man entering the Land of the Tigers enclosure. The tiger attacked him, and despite the best efforts of emergency crews — two land ambulances, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and a doctor — he was pronounced dead at the scene. His family has been notified and is being supported by specialist officers. The man has not been publicly identified.
Witnesses described an agitated man in a black top who jumped or climbed into the enclosure from the viewing platform area. Disturbing footage circulating online shows him sitting on the grass as the tiger interacts with him; he can be heard saying "no, no." Police have explicitly asked people not to share the distressing footage, and this article will not link to it. How exactly the man got into the enclosure and why he did it remain under investigation.
The tiger involved is believed to be Altai, the park's male Amur — or Siberian — tiger. Police moved quickly to shut down rumours about the animal's fate: the tiger was uninjured, stayed in the enclosure after the incident, and there is no wider risk to the public. The park was evacuated as a precaution, a black tarpaulin was put up around the enclosure, and the park confirmed it will remain closed tomorrow. Officers remain on scene carrying out enquiries.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park said in a statement that it was "deeply saddened by today's tragic incident," adding: "Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with the family and loved ones of the person who has lost their life." The park said its emergency response procedures were immediately activated and that it is working closely with police and the relevant authorities, asking that the privacy of those affected be respected. The park, which opened in 2009 near Doncaster in South Yorkshire, describes itself as a walk-through wildlife adventure and is home to lions, giraffes, leopards, black rhinos and tigers. Its Land of the Tigers attraction, which opened in 2011, features a 300-metre raised walkway running through the enclosure.
The park's two Amur tigers — Altai and the female Tschuna — are part of a breeding programme for the endangered subspecies. Amur tigers, the largest cats in the world, are native to the Russian Far East and northeast China, and conservation breeding programmes like this one are considered vital to the survival of a subspecies pushed to the edge by poaching and habitat loss.
South Yorkshire Police said enquiries are continuing. The park remains closed while the investigation goes on.