A man who climbed over a fence and into a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in England died Saturday after the tiger turned on him. The park evacuated visitors and announced it will remain closed for the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday.
According to a South Yorkshire Police statement, the incident happened shortly after 1:30 p.m. local time. Witnesses said the man scaled the fence, entered the tiger enclosure, and provoked the animal, which retaliated. A video circulating online shows the man in close contact with the tiger inside the enclosure. Police received the call at 1:35 p.m.; Yorkshire Ambulance was alerted at 1:33 p.m.
Police confirmed the man was a visitor, not a staff member. His identity has not been released; his family has been notified and is being supported.
The emergency response was substantial: two ground ambulances, one air ambulance, and a doctor attended. Despite resuscitation efforts, the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Some outlets initially reported him as critically injured — CNN's earlier update used that wording — but the police statement issued later in the day confirmed the death, and the police account stands as the latest word.
The park said its emergency procedures were activated and it is working with authorities to establish what happened, adding that "the safety of our visitors, staff and animals is our highest priority."
Police stated explicitly that the tiger was not injured and remains in its enclosure, with no wider threat to the public. Witnesses online claimed to have heard gunshots, and rumors spread that the tiger had been shot — the official statement denies this, and those rumors should not be treated as fact.
The park is home to two Amur tigers — male Altai and female Tschuna. Only about 500 of the subspecies remain in the wild. The park has not said which tiger was involved.
The park evacuated visitors after the incident. In statements on its website and social media, the park confirmed a "serious incident" in the tiger area, apologized to affected visitors, and said it would provide updates as the investigation progresses. It will stay closed for the rest of Saturday and all of Sunday, October 11.
Police also asked the public not to share "distressing" footage from the scene online, warning that spreading such content could cause further harm to the man's family.