A man has died after entering a tiger enclosure at a wildlife park in northern England and being attacked by one of the animals, South Yorkshire Police said. The incident happened on Saturday at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near the city of Doncaster.
Police said officers and medical staff were called at about 1:35pm after reports that a man had entered the enclosure. The tiger inflicted serious injuries, and despite the efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Yorkshire's ambulance service said it sent two ambulances, the Yorkshire air ambulance and a doctor. It is not yet clear how or why the man got into the enclosure, and police are investigating. The Guardian reported that he jumped in, while other accounts said only that he entered it.
Police said the tiger was not injured and stayed inside the enclosure throughout, and that there was no wider risk to the public. The park was evacuated, and officers remained on site on Saturday night. The man's family has been informed and is being supported by specialist officers. Police said they were aware of video footage circulating on social media that appears to show the man in the enclosure shortly before the attack, and urged people not to share it because it is distressing.
The park said it had closed after a serious incident and would stay shut until Sunday. It said it had activated its emergency response procedures and was working closely with the authorities to establish exactly what happened. A spokesperson said staff were deeply saddened and extended condolences to the man's family and loved ones. The park said the safety of visitors, staff and animals remained its highest priority.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009. Its Land of the Tigers attraction followed in 2011, a purpose-built reserve of about two acres (0.4 hectares by one account) for Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers. This is an endangered subspecies, with about 500 believed to remain in the wild. Visitors watch the animals from a raised walkway about 300 metres long, which passes through woodland and grassland areas and near a waterfall pool. Photos on the park's website show a high walkway and fencing above the section where the tigers roam.
Attacks on people by zoo animals are rare in the UK, where such facilities operate under strict safety rules. The investigation into how the man entered the enclosure is continuing.