A tragic incident at a popular wildlife park in England has left visitors shaken after a man died following an attack by a tiger. Now, witnesses have come forward with new details about the moments before the tragedy.
The horrifying incident took place at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster on Saturday. Emergency services were called at around 1:35 p.m. after reports that a man had entered the tiger enclosure.
Despite efforts by medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene, according to South Yorkshire Police. His family has been informed and is receiving support from specialist officers.
Witnesses have spoken out about the horrific scenes. Now, a couple who noticed the man before he jumped into the enclosure has shared a horrifying recollection of what happened.
One woman said she noticed the man on a raised walkway near the park’s Land of the Tigers attraction. He was reportedly listening to music through his AirPods and dancing while watching the animals.
Anthony Hunt and his girlfriend Scarlet Hogan, visitors at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, told The Telegraph that the woman “desperately tried to pull back” the man as he tried to jump into the enclosure.
Hunt told the newspaper that the man overpowered the woman, who was with her two children at the time, before leaping from a bridge into the tiger enclosure.
Witnesses share details of what happened before man was mauled to death by tiger
“The man started praying to the tiger, bowing down to it – the tiger looked a bit confused,” Ms Hogan said. “Up until he got attacked, it was like he was in a trance, not in reality at all.”
“He had arms wide open ready for the tiger to attack him. It was quite bad. We were just stood there, frozen… the last thing we saw was the tiger’s jaw on his neck,” she added.
According to one witness, the man appeared to be enjoying the experience before asking a stranger to take a picture of him with a tiger in the background.
Another witness told reporters that zoo staff acted quickly once they noticed the man was inside the tiger’s habitat.
“Shots were fired into the air to make a noise and distract the tiger. The animal wasn’t shot and is absolutely fine and not injured,” they said.
“The barriers are huge. You would have to really want to get inside the enclosure to be able to do it. From start to end the incident was over within minutes. The keepers did everything they could. It’s horrific.”
Tiger won’t be euthanized, wildlife park confirms
Following the tragedy, concerns emerged about what would happen to the tiger involved in the attack. The animal, an Amur tiger named Altai, will not be euthanized, Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed.
In a statement on Sunday, the wildlife park thanked those who had expressed concern after the “tragic incident.” They added that their “thoughts and heartfelt sympathies” were with the family of the man who was killed by the tiger.
Moreover, they stated that the tiger won’t be euthanized.
“The park will be closed today, and the staff team who were deeply affected by events will receive specialist support,” the statement read. The park also confirmed that the tiger, named Altai, was “safe and well and will not be euthanized” after the incident.
“We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident,” officials added.
The decision comes as experts and members of the public continue to discuss the tragedy, with many reflecting on the tiger’s natural instincts and how it responded to the horrific incident.
Experts weigh in
One who has spoken out in defense of the tiger is Carole Baskin, known for her involvement in the Tiger King series and her work with Big Cat Rescue
“The tiger was not doing anything wrong by being a tiger. I am relieved to hear that the animal was not harmed,” she told the NY Post.
Following the incident, police urged people not to share distressing videos circulating online. The wildlife park was evacuated after the attack, and the authorities began investigating exactly what happened.
After the attack, police urged the public not to share distressing videos of the incident circulating online.
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