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Yorkshire Wildlife Park remains closed following a fatal incident on Saturday when a man climbed into an enclosure housing an Amur tiger and was attacked. The emergency services, including police and ambulance teams, were called to the park near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, at approximately 13:30 BST after reports that a man had descended from the raised walkway into the tiger’s area. Despite the efforts of responders, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
An eyewitness recounted seeing the man, who was wearing headphones, pacing around near the enclosure prior to entering it. The man then climbed over barriers and lay down within the tiger’s area, moments before the attack. The tiger involved, an Amur tiger named Altai, remains in the enclosure and will not be euthanised, according to a park spokesperson. Staff present at the scene, described as deeply affected by the event, are set to receive specialist support. South Yorkshire Police confirmed that the deceased’s family are being offered support and urged the public not to share circulating videos of the incident.
Visitors to the park described the chaotic moments surrounding the attack. Ella Ford, 24, from Moreton, Wirral, had been filming the tiger before witnessing the incident. She described the man’s strange behavior as he paced and then climbed onto the barriers before entering the enclosure and lying in front of the tiger. Ford said she saw the animal grab the man and heard him shouting for help. Other visitors were left confused and unsure of what was happening as staff evacuated people from the raised walkway and ultimately the entire park.
Another witness, Karmelle Pelham, 39, from Worksop, praised the staff’s handling of the emergency after she heard sounds resembling gunshots and saw an air ambulance circling overhead. A large black tarpaulin was placed over the tiger’s enclosure during the response. Local political figures expressed their condolences and support following the tragedy. Ed Miliband, MP for Doncaster North, and Lee Pitcher, MP for Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme, both acknowledged the emergency services for their swift actions and conveyed sympathy for all affected. The Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which opened in 2009, is known for its “Land of the Tigers” section introduced in 2011, offering sanctuary to endangered Amur tigers, a species with an estimated 500 left in the wild
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