A man who died after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park reportedly asked a fellow visitor to take his photograph with the big cat just minutes before the fatal incident.
The unidentified man is believed to have been in his early 20s when he climbed into the enclosure at the wildlife park near Doncaster, South Yorkshire, on Saturday, October 10. Police and emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm following reports that someone had entered the restricted area.
The man was later pronounced dead at the scene, despite efforts by the park’s keepers and emergency responders to bring the situation under control.
Now, footage recorded by visitors shortly before the incident has emerged, offering a glimpse of the man’s movements in the moments leading up to the tragedy.
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Man reportedly asked visitor to take his picture with tiger
The video appears to capture the man approaching a female visitor as she watches a five-year-old Siberian tiger named Altai resting in its enclosure.
According to Del Taylor, who spoke to The Sun about the encounter, the man asked her to take a photograph of him with the tiger in the background.
“Can you grab a shot of myself with the tiger?” he reportedly asked.
Taylor took his phone and photographed him while her partner continued recording the tiger. The man can subsequently be heard laughing and enthusiastically asking for more pictures.
“One more, one more, one more,” he reportedly said before thanking her.
Taylor told The Sun that the man had been alone and had initially been dancing on a bridge overlooking the enclosure before approaching her.
Her partner’s recording captured the interaction, although the photograph itself was taken with the man’s phone.
It is believed that the man climbed over a barrier and entered the enclosure shortly after the exchange. The precise circumstances surrounding his actions remain unclear, and authorities have not established why he entered the restricted area.
Keepers acted to protect visitors and secure the tiger
When the emergency unfolded, Yorkshire Wildlife Park staff moved quickly to contain the situation and protect visitors.
Keepers used gas-powered acoustic guns to frighten Altai away from the man and encourage the tiger to retreat to a nearby shelter. The animal was subsequently secured.
Emergency services, including police, paramedics and firefighters, attended the scene. An air ambulance was also seen circling the area before landing near the park’s Land of the Tigers enclosure.
The affected area was sealed off, and visitors were evacuated. Black screens were erected along the public viewing route to prevent people from witnessing the distressing scene.
The enclosure is surrounded by a fence approximately five metres high. A viewing platform sits at one corner, with an additional barrier about one metre high intended to keep visitors at a safe distance from the enclosure.
Investigators believe the man may have climbed over this secondary barrier before entering the tiger habitat.
Despite the emergency response, the man could not be saved.
Eyewitness describes the final moments before the incident
Taylor described how the man had approached her while visitors were watching the tiger below.
“He was completely alone,” she told The Sun, explaining that he had been dancing on the bridge overlooking the enclosure before coming to stand beside her.
She said her partner had been filming the tiger when the conversation took place, meaning the man’s request for a photograph could be heard on the recording.
The footage has since drawn attention because it appears to show an ordinary interaction shortly before the incident turned fatal.
However, the video does not establish what prompted the man to enter the enclosure or what happened immediately before he came into contact with the tiger.
The man’s identity had not been publicly confirmed in the report, and authorities had not announced a definitive explanation for his actions.
Wildlife park confirms Altai is safe and will not be euthanised
Following the incident, concern quickly spread among members of the public about what would happen to Altai.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park addressed those fears in a statement issued on Sunday, confirming that the tiger was safe and well.
The park also made clear that Altai would not be euthanised as a consequence of the incident.
“Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family and loved ones of the man who sadly lost his life,” the statement said.
“Many, many people have contacted us about Altai, the tiger. We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident.”
Altai is one of two Siberian tigers kept at the park. The animal was unharmed during the incident and was returned safely to its enclosure.
The statement offered reassurance to visitors and animal lovers who had been concerned about the tiger’s welfare following the man’s death.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park remains closed as investigation continues
The wildlife park closed for the remainder of the weekend as police continued investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.
On Monday, October 12, Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed that it would remain closed for the entire day because of the serious incident.
In a message sent to ticket holders, the park apologised for the disruption and explained that visitors with bookings for Monday would be contacted within five working days with information about rescheduling.
The message read: “Due to the serious incident that occurred at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, the 10th of October, unfortunately the park remains closed for the whole of Monday, the 12th October.”
The park also apologised for the late notice and any inconvenience caused.
As investigators work to establish exactly what happened, questions remain about why the man entered the tiger enclosure and what led to the fatal encounter.
For now, the wildlife park has confirmed that Altai is safe, while the investigation into the man’s death continues.