Wildlife park closed for third day after tiger attack

Yorkshire Wildlife Park remains closed for a third day following a fatal tiger attack that prompted a wellness and information investigation. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when a man entered the Amur tiger enclosure from a walkway, leading to his death. An eyewitness reported seeing the individual wearing headphones and pacing near the enclosure before he went inside and was attacked. South Yorkshire Police confirmed he was visiting the park alone. A City of Doncaster Council spokesperson stated, "I tin corroborate that, successful enactment with our statutory duties, the assembly has launched a wellness and information investigation." Dan Swaine, the section authority's enforcement manager of place, added that the assembly was "deeply saddened" by the incidental and sent its "deepest sympathies" to the man's household and those who were astatine the scene. He also noted, "We are besides moving with aggregate agencies, including the constabulary and wellness agencies, and are supporting the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in effect to the incident," and said, "At this time, we won't beryllium commenting further connected the idiosyncratic or the probe and we inquire that the privateness of those progressive is respected at this hard time." The parkland spokesperson confirmed the closure, saying, "Due to the events implicit the weekend, the parkland volition stay closed today. Thank you for your understanding." South Yorkshire Police reported that the antheral died at the country and his household were being supported by officers, adding, "Our thoughts are with them at this distressing time." Yorkshire Wildlife Park emphasized that the uncommon Amur tiger, named Altai, remained successful the enclosure and would not beryllium euthanised. Regarding ticket holders, the park announced in a connection to summons holders on Monday morning that anyone with a booking would be contacted wrong the adjacent 5 days to reschedule. Angela Seivewright, 47, from Bawtry, laid flowers extracurricular the parkland gates in tribute to the deceased man. She said she had an yearly walk and had visited galore times with her 2 children. "My girl was unluckily sent the video and she's a teenager," she said. She also remarked, "I recovered it precise distressing, but I deliberation what I've recovered much distressing is the absorption of the nationalist that I received erstwhile I said I anticipation the quality is OK." Additionally, she observed, "I was amazed at the magnitude of choler and hatred the radical seemed to person towards the gentleman." On Saturday evening, constabulary said they were alert of videos circulating online and encouraged radical not to stock the footage. Dr Campbell Murn, a former subordinate of the government's zoo adept committee and lecturer at the University of Reading, commented that, while the incident was tragic, determined radical could get wrong zoo enclosures. He stated, "I presumption it successful the aforesaid mode a determined thief volition get into somebody's location or somebody's car and contempt the champion information systems and enclosures sometimes these things happen." He further explained, "One of the cardinal approaches of a modern zoo is to springiness radical a wildlife acquisition and support them harmless truthful they tin larn and they tin bask being adjacent the animals, but keeping a information region that is applicable but not making it excessively dense handed." Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Murn described nationalist information as an "enormous consideration" for zoo standards in the UK. A spokesperson for the Born Free Foundation, which campaigns to signifier retired zoos, called for an "urgent review" into "how the antheral managed to participate the enclosure and what happened next." Born Free's co-founder Will Travers declared, "Putting unsafe chaotic animals on nationalist show in zoos and safari parks creates a mendacious narration with humans." He added, "Visitors are encouraged to get up adjacent and idiosyncratic - that is simply a profoundly unnatural concern and not without risk." Jo Judge, main enforcement of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums, noted that zoos are subject to a "huge number" of hazard assessments, along with afloat inspections each six years and periodic inspections each three. She said, "There are truthfully galore processes and procedures in spot to guarantee the information of everybody who is visiting zoos and aquariums and these are incredibly uncommon incidents," and affirmed, "Zoos are really 1 of the safest places you tin visit." Judge also mentioned that the assemblage had received galore messages of enactment for the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, adding, "There's nary interest from the remainder of the community, due to the fact that we cognize however good regulated we are, however good licensed we are, each of the procedures and policies that person to beryllium enactment in spot to marque definite zoos and aquariums are harmless for staff, for the animals and for the public." The tiger has been at Yorkshire Wildlife Park since it was moved from Dyreparken in Norway in February 2025 as portion of the planetary EAZA European Endangered Species Programme for Amur tigers. Dyreparken biologist Helene Axelsen said Altai was calved at the tract in 20 Read the full story at BBC News →