This story has moved on: Man dies after entering tiger enclosure at Yorkshire wildlife park

Summarised from 2 outlets · 5 reports · Updated 12 Oct, 20:13 · Archive

A man was mauled to death by a Siberian tiger after climbing into its enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster on Saturday.

A man was mauled to death by a Siberian tiger after entering its enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster on Saturday. South Yorkshire Police received reports of a man in the enclosure at 1.35pm. Emergency services attended the scene, but despite the efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead.

Witnesses described the moments preceding the attack. Del Taylor reported that the man asked her to photograph him with the tiger Altai in the background. In audio and video footage, he was heard asking: 'Excuse me, can you grab a shot of myself with the tiger?' and requesting 'One more, one more, one more' photographs. After thanking Taylor, he walked away. Moments later, he climbed over a safety barrier and entered the two-acre enclosure.

Witnesses gave conflicting accounts of his behaviour in the enclosure. Anthony Hunt told the Telegraph that a woman near the man tried to stop him climbing the fence but 'wasn't strong enough' to hold him back. According to the Daily Express, witnesses reported seeing him on all fours appearing to pray or bow to the tiger, with his arms open. The New York Post reports that he had been 'pacing around with his headphones in' and 'dancing' beforehand.

Zookeepers fired loud acoustic guns to try to scare the tiger away. The tiger was uninjured. His family has requested that he not be identified.

How it is being reported

• Police issue plea as public urged not to do two things after man mauled by tigerThe man entered the enclosure on Saturday, before being mauled by the tiger.Daily Express · 12 Oct, 21:01
• Harrowing final moments of man mauled to death at UK zoo: ‘Come here tiger. Kill me’.“Excuse me, can you grab a shot of myself with the tiger?”New York Post · 12 Oct, 19:56
• 'I took the last photo of the man mauled to death by a tiger - I saw everything'The couple walked away after taking the photographs. Moments later, the man climbed over the barrier and entered the tiger's enclosure.Daily Express · 12 Oct, 07:07
• Man's tragic final gesture to tiger before attack as witnesses recall horrifying screamThe man appeared to be 'praying' to the tiger before he was mauled to death inside the enclosureDaily Express · 12 Oct, 05:00
• Man mauled to death by tiger 'used heartbreaking sign moments' before he fought for lifeThe man tragically passed away yesterday.Daily Express · 11 Oct, 19:48

In this story: Yorkshire Wildlife Park · Altai · Del Taylor · Anthony Hunt · Doncaster

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem