A man was mauled to death by a tiger at a wildlife park in northern England after entering the animal’s enclosure, as horrified visitors watched the attack unfold.
The fatal encounter happened Saturday, October 10, at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster. Video broadcast by NBC News shows the tiger repeatedly lunging at the man while witnesses scream in the background.
Emergency responders rushed to the enclosure, but the man died at the scene. His identity has not been publicly released, and questions remain about how and why he entered the restricted area.
On Sunday, the park confirmed that the tiger, a male Amur tiger named Altai, was unharmed and would not be euthanized following the incident.
Inside The Enclosure
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Warning: The following news report contains disturbing footage of a fatal animal attack.
South Yorkshire Police received reports of a man entering the tiger enclosure at approximately 1:35 p.m.
The tiger attacked him, inflicting serious injuries. Despite efforts by emergency medical personnel, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Footage included in an NBC News broadcast captures the tiger repeatedly lunging toward the man’s neck as he raises his hands in an apparent attempt to defend himself.
A woman’s voice can be heard saying, “I tried to stop him,” followed by screams from people watching the attack.
The footage does not establish what prompted the man to enter the enclosure.
Emergency Response
Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed on its official website that its emergency response procedures were immediately activated following the incident.
The park began working with police and emergency responders while visitors were evacuated from the premises.
According to ITV News, Yorkshire Ambulance Service dispatched two land ambulances, an air ambulance, and a doctor.
One visitor described confusion as park employees began blocking routes and directing people away from the affected area.
Speaking to the South West News Service, the visitor recalled that people initially had little idea what had happened. She described seeing police near the tiger enclosure and an air ambulance outside the park.
The park closed after the attack and remained closed Sunday, October 11.
Before The Attack
Another visitor, Marie Miller, recalled seeing the man shortly before he entered the enclosure.
In a Facebook post described by The Guardian, Miller said he had been dancing on a bridge while wearing earphones and appeared to be enjoying his visit.
She also recalled him asking a stranger to photograph him with the tiger in the background.
The observations offer a glimpse of his activities before the attack but do not establish his intentions.
Police have not publicly identified the man or confirmed the circumstances that led him to enter the tiger enclosure.
Altai’s Future
Yorkshire Wildlife Park addressed concerns about the tiger in a statement Sunday, confirming that Altai was safe and would not be euthanized.
The park also expressed sympathy for the man’s family and announced that staff deeply affected by the incident would receive specialist support.
Altai joined Yorkshire Wildlife Park in February 2025 after being transferred from Dyreparken Zoo in Norway.
According to the park’s announcement introducing Altai, the move was arranged through the European Endangered Species Programme, which coordinates breeding efforts for threatened animals.
The young tiger was brought to Yorkshire with plans for him to eventually breed with Tschuna, a female Amur tiger already living at the park.
Amur tigers, also called Siberian tigers, are an endangered subspecies native to the Russian Far East and northeastern China.
Investigation Continues
Police confirmed that Altai remained inside the enclosure after the attack and had not been injured. They also said there was no wider danger to the public.
The man’s family was informed of his death Saturday and is being supported by specialist officers.
Police have asked the public not to share videos of the fatal encounter that have been circulating online.
Officers were conducting inquiries at the park following the incident, while the wildlife park said it was cooperating to establish exactly what happened.