Moments before he was mauled to death by a Siberian tiger at a wildlife park, a man was seen wagging his little finger at the massive feline, who responded by clutching him in his powerful jaws.
Visitors at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, watched in horror on Oct. 10, as a man climbed into an enclosure housing Altai, a 5-year-old endangered Siberian tiger, unaware of the terrifying moments that would follow.
The man, whose identity has not been released, was reportedly seen “pacing around” before heading to a viewing bridge overlooking the enclosure.
According to the Doncaster Free Press, he had approached a visitor and asked to have his picture taken with a tiger in the distance, giving little indication of what he was about to do.
Witnesses also reported he was dancing while wearing earphones, allegedly trying to “psych himself up” before entering the two-acre habitat, which is surrounded by fencing approximately 16 feet high.
But as he prepared to enter the restricted area, one woman reportedly tried to stop him.
Witnesses describe terrifying final moments
According to one witness, a woman tried to pull the man back onto the viewing bridge but “wasn’t strong enough.” He reportedly broke free of her grasp before making his way down and jumping roughly 12 feet into the enclosure.
Once inside, clips show that he was confronted by Altai, who reportedly struck him with his powerful paws as the man struggled on the ground.
With his ears pinned back, the Amur tiger briefly retreated and turned his attention elsewhere, possibly distracted by screams from onlookers, before returning to the man and pinning him to the ground.
“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,” a witness said, according to the Daily Express.
Mauled to death
As the attack unfolded, visitors reported hearing several loud shots, which the park later confirmed were gas canisters used to intervene.
Emergency services were called to the scene at about 1:35 p.m., but “sadly, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene,” South Yorkshire Police said, according to People.
His family has been notified and is receiving support from specialist officers as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding his death.
However, one detail from the witnesses’ accounts has attracted particular attention, with some suggesting the man’s unusual hand movements may offer a clue about his final moments.
What did the finger signal mean?
The man’s unusual hand movement has since sparked discussion about Makaton, a system that uses signs alongside speech and symbols to support people with communication difficulties. Some believe his raised little finger was an attempt to signal “bad” to the tiger, according to the Daily Express.
The footage also led to unverified speculation that he was “autistic,” with one Redditor writing that it was “sad and heartbreaking” to see “the boy use Makaton to try and stop the tiger from hurting him.”
Another said “it is an educated guess to think” he was “autistic or developmentally disabled” since “he was using Makaton and jumped into a tiger’s den.”
Meanwhile, others were more concerned about Altai.
“It would be more tragic if the innocent tiger had been shot,” one user added.
Tiger’s fate revealed
Following the fatal attack, concerns quickly turned to the fate of Altai, who had celebrated his 5th birthday on Sept. 23.
“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,” police said.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park also addressed questions about whether Altai would be put down following the attack.
“We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanized as a result of this incident,” the park said, according to the Doncaster Free Press.
The park has been closed following the tragedy, while officials urged people not to circulate videos of the attack that had appeared online.
“We are aware of videos circulating online and we would encourage people not to share this distressing footage,” police said.
What do you think about the heartbreaking incident and the decision to spare Altai, who was acting on his natural instincts? Please let us your thoughts and then share this story to get the conversation started.
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