Man dies after jumping into tiger enclosure at Yorkshire zoo

Original article by Nadeem Badshah

A man has died after being attacked by a tiger after jumping into its enclosure at a zoo in Yorkshire, police have said.

Emergency services were contacted shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday when the man entered the enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster, and was set upon by the tiger.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, South Yorkshire police said, adding his family had been informed.

Videos circulating online appear to show a man being pawed at and grappled by a tiger in an enclosure.

A police spokesperson said the tiger attacked the man and inflicted “serious injury”.

“Emergency services attended and sadly, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene,” they added.

“Regarding rumours surrounding the condition of the tiger, the animal was uninjured and remained in the enclosure following the incident and there is no wider risk to the public.”

The force urged people not to share “distressing” video footage of the attack, circulating on social media.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park said a “serious incident” occurred inside the enclosure.

It said in a statement: “Our emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and emergency services are currently attending the scene.

“We are working closely with the authorities to ascertain exactly what happened.” It added that the “safety and wellbeing of visitors, staff and animals remain our highest priority”.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009, with the Land of the Tigers attraction opening in 2011.

The attraction is on a purpose-built two-acre reserve for Amur tigers, an endangered subspecies with about 500 left in the wild.

Photos of the enclosure on the park’s website shows a high walkway for visitors and fencing above the section where the tigers can roam.

A Yorkshire ambulance service spokesperson said it sent a number of resources to the scene including two ambulances, Yorkshire air ambulance and a doctor.