Man dies after entering tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster
South Yorkshire Police said the man was attacked after getting into the enclosure on Saturday afternoon. The tiger was not hurt and there is no wider risk to the public.
A man has died after he entered a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster, South Yorkshire Police said.
The force said it received reports at 1.35pm on Saturday 10 October that a man had got into a tiger enclosure at the park. Police said the tiger then attacked him and he was seriously injured.
Emergency services went to the scene. Despite the efforts of medical staff, the man was pronounced dead there, police said.
What police have said
South Yorkshire Police said the man's family had been told and was being supported by specialist officers.
Police also addressed rumours about the animal. They said the tiger was uninjured, stayed in the enclosure after the incident, and that "there is no wider risk to the public".
The park was evacuated after the incident while officers stayed on site to carry out enquiries. It was due to stay closed on Sunday.
Police said they were aware of videos of the incident being shared online and asked people not to share the footage.
About the park
Yorkshire Wildlife Park is a large zoo and conservation park in Branton and Auckley, on the edge of Doncaster. It is one of the best-known animal attractions in the north of England and draws visitors from across the country.
The park is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria. Its Amur tigers live in an area of the park called Land of the Tiger.
There have been fatal tiger incidents at UK zoos before, though they are rare. A keeper died at Hamerton Zoo Park in Cambridgeshire in 2017, and a keeper died at South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Cumbria in 2013. Both deaths happened in enclosures that were closed to the public.
What happens next
South Yorkshire Police said its enquiries into the circumstances were continuing. Yorkshire Wildlife Park said it was helping the police and other agencies.
Anyone affected by the incident, or with information about it, can contact South Yorkshire Police on 101. Call 999 in an emergency.
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