Man dies after tiger attack at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

A man died Saturday after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in northern England, police said. The tiger attacked him, and he died at the scene.

South Yorkshire Police said officers were called at 1:35 p.m. to the park near Doncaster after reports that a man had entered the enclosure. His family has been informed and is being supported by officers, the force said.

The tiger was uninjured and remained inside the enclosure after the attack. Police said there was no wider risk to the public. The park was evacuated, and officers remained at the scene.

“We are deeply saddened by today’s tragic incident,” a park spokesperson said. “Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with the family and loved ones of the person who has lost their life.”

The spokesperson said the park was working with police and other authorities and asked that the privacy of those affected be respected. The park will remain closed Sunday, the spokesperson said.

The Yorkshire Ambulance Service sent two ambulances, an air ambulance and a doctor to the scene, CBS News reported. In its initial account, CBS reported that the man had sustained serious injuries and that authorities had not immediately released details about them. Police later confirmed his death.

The park said its emergency response procedures were “immediately activated” after the incident. In an earlier statement on its website, it said it was “working closely with the authorities to ascertain exactly what happened.” Neither the park nor police provided further details about how the man entered the enclosure.

Police also urged people not to circulate footage of the attack. “We are aware of videos circulating online and we would encourage people not to share this footage,” the force said.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009. Its Land of the Tigers area, which opened in 2011, is a purpose-built, two-acre reserve for endangered Amur tigers, also known as Siberian tigers. The park’s website describes a 300-meter raised walkway from which visitors can watch the animals move through woodlands and grasslands or play in a waterfall pool. The BBC reported that photos on the park’s website show fencing above the section where the tigers roam.

The BBC reported that around 500 Amur tigers remain in the wild. Authorities have not said whether the attack will affect the animals or the enclosure beyond the park’s announced closure Sunday.