A man died after being attacked by a tiger on Saturday when he entered an enclosure at a wildlife park in northern England, police said. Officers were called to Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster at about 1:35 p.m. local time after receiving reports that a man had entered a tiger enclosure, South Yorkshire Police said. The tiger attacked the man, who died at the scene despite efforts by emergency responders to save him.
Police said the man's family had been informed and was being supported by specialist officers. Authorities also sought to dispel speculation about the animal involved in the attack, saying the tiger was unharmed and remained inside its enclosure. "Regarding rumors 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.
The reported that the Yorkshire Wildlife Park's “Land of the Tigers” attraction opened in 2011. According to the park's website, visitors can walk along the 300-meter-long raised walkway above the attraction for the best views of the Amur tigers. The wildlife park was evacuated following the incident and later announced it would remain closed on Sunday while investigations continue.
Police also urged members of the public not to share videos of the attack circulating on social media. Footage circulating on social media appeared to show a man inside the enclosure before he was attacked by one of the tigers. Witnesses, according to British media, said the man appeared agitated before entering the habitat, though authorities have not publicly explained the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park described the attack as a "serious incident" and said its emergency response procedures were activated immediately. "Our emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and emergency services are currently attending the scene," the park said in a statement, adding that it was working closely with authorities to determine exactly what happened. The attraction said the safety and wellbeing of visitors, staff and animals remained its highest priority.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Ambulance Service said multiple emergency resources were dispatched to the site, including two ambulances, a doctor and Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The investigation into the man's death remains ongoing. While such incidents are rare, several cases involving people crossing barriers at U.S. zoo big-cat exhibits have drawn national attention in recent years.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
