A mother reportedly made a desperate attempt to pull a young man away from a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park after he tried to climb into the predator’s pen in front of her two children. Despite her efforts, the man allegedly overpowered her and jumped in, where the five-year-old Amur tiger Altai attacked him.
Police and paramedics rushed to the wildlife park in Branton, near Doncaster, shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday, following reports that a man had entered the enclosure. He was later pronounced dead at the scene despite emergency responders’ efforts to save him.
The circumstances surrounding the incident remain under investigation, and authorities have not yet identified the man or established why he entered the enclosure.
Mother reportedly tried desperately to pull him back
According to eyewitness accounts reported by The Telegraph, the mother attempted to prevent the man from entering the enclosure but was unable to stop him.
Anthony Hunt, who witnessed the incident, said the man overpowered the woman before jumping from the viewing platform.
“He overpowered her and jumped off. She seemed really frightened,” Hunt said.
He added that he spoke to the woman afterwards, recalling her explanation: “I tried to pull him back.”
Hunt suggested that she may have been reluctant to put her own life at risk while trying to stop the man.
Other visitors are also believed to have attempted to intervene. In footage recorded during the incident, one woman could reportedly be heard saying, “I tried to stop him.”
The man was believed to be in his early to mid-20s.
Witnesses describe the moments before the attack
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In the hours leading up to the tragedy, Hunt reportedly saw the man behaving erratically while arriving at the park and parking his car. At the time, however, he did not consider the behaviour particularly concerning.
Another eyewitness, identified as Del, said the man had approached visitors for photographs shortly before entering the enclosure.
Del, who was visiting with her boyfriend, reportedly took the man’s phone and photographed him with the tiger visible in the background.
Video recorded by her partner captured the man laughing and enthusiastically asking for another picture.
“One more, one more, one more,” he could be heard saying before thanking the woman.
Only moments later, the situation took a devastating turn.
The man reportedly climbed over a barrier at the viewing platform and entered the enclosure, bringing him dangerously close to Altai.
Rangers fired warning shots as visitors fled
After the man entered the enclosure, the tiger attacked him and dragged him away.
Wildlife park rangers responded by firing two warning shots from a shotgun into the air in an attempt to frighten the animal away from the victim. Altai eventually retreated into his own section of the enclosure and was secured.
Emergency services attended the scene, while an air ambulance was seen circling the area before landing nearby.
Despite the efforts of those who responded, the man could not be saved and was pronounced dead at the wildlife park.
As the emergency unfolded, families and other visitors were evacuated from the attraction. Black screens were erected around parts of the viewing area to prevent members of the public from seeing the scene.
The incident left visitors shocked, with some describing the frightening rush to leave the park.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirms Altai will not be euthanised
Following the fatal attack, Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed that Altai was safe and would not be euthanised.
In a statement released on Sunday, the park expressed its sympathy for the man’s family and thanked members of the public who had contacted them with concerns about the tiger.
“Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family and loved ones of the man who sadly lost his life,” the statement said.
The park added: “We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident.”
Altai was brought to Yorkshire Wildlife Park to breed with Tschuna, the park’s only other tiger, a female Siberian tiger.
The animals live in a two-acre reserve featuring woodland and a waterfall pool. Their enclosure is surrounded by a fence approximately five metres high, with a viewing platform positioned at one corner.
The platform also has a separate barrier, around one metre high, designed to keep visitors at a safe distance from the enclosure. Investigators are examining the circumstances in which the man crossed the barriers.
The park remained closed on Sunday and confirmed it would also remain shut throughout Monday while investigations continued. Staff affected by the incident were offered specialist support.
Police support the man’s family as investigation continues
South Yorkshire Police confirmed that officers received reports of a man entering the tiger enclosure at 1.35pm on Saturday.
“The tiger subsequently attacked the man,” the force said.
Emergency services attended, but the victim was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of medical personnel.
Police said the man’s family had been informed and was receiving support from specialist officers.
“Our thoughts are with them at this distressing time,” the force added.
Investigators have yet to publicly establish the reason behind the man’s actions. The inquiry continues as authorities work to determine the full circumstances of the tragedy.
For the mother who reportedly tried to stop him, the eyewitnesses who witnessed the incident and the staff who responded to the emergency, the events at Yorkshire Wildlife Park have left a lasting impact. Meanwhile, the park has reiterated that Altai remains safe and will not be put down as a result of the attack.