Yorkshire zoo remains CLOSED as investigation continues after tiger mauled man to death
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has said it will remain closed for the entirety of today, as investigations continue into the death of a man mauled by a tiger when he entered its enclosure. Emergency services were contacted shortly after 1.30pm on Saturday when the man entered the enclosure and was set upon by the tiger. He was pronounced dead at the scene, South Yorkshire Police confirmed, with his family informed. The zoo in Doncaster was initially expected to reopen on Monday. However, an abrupt change of plan this morning means the site will remain closed for the rest of today. In a statement on social media this morning, the park said: "Due to the events over the weekend, the park will remain closed today. Thank you for your understanding." In a earlier statement yesterday, the wildlife park said “many, many people” had contacted them about Altai, the Amur tiger involved in the incident, and it confirmed he is “safe and well” and will not be euthanised. It added members of park staff were “deeply affected” by the incident and had received specialist support. The park was evacuated soon after the incident and has remained closed since. In a message sent to ticketholders this morning, the park said: “Due to the serious incident that occurred at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, October 10, unfortunately the park remains closed for the whole of Monday, October 12. “Anyone with a booking for this date will be contacted within the next five working days with details of how to reschedule your booking. We apologise for the late notice any inconvenience caused.” Videos circulating online appear to show a man being pawed at and grappled by Altai in the tiger enclosure at the park. South Yorkshire Police said it is aware of the footage of the attack online and asked people not to share it. LATEST DEVELOPMENTS Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009, with the Land of the Tigers attraction opening in 2011. The attraction is a purpose-built, two-acre reserve for Amur tigers, an endangered subspecies with around 500 left in the wild. Photos of the enclosure on the park’s website show a high walkway for visitors and fencing above the section where the tigers can roam. it is still unclear how the man entered the enclosure, and what the circumstances were surrounding his arrival in the tiger pen. The zoo earlier confirmed the tiger will not be euthanised following the incident, with experts justifying the animals behaviour as simply the nature of an apex predator. It said: "Many, many people have contacted us about Altai, the tiger. We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident.” A separate video appeared to show the man asking a couple for a photograph before he entered the tiger enclosure. In the video, the man is heard asking: “Can you grab a shot of me with the tiger?” It is thought to be the final known recording of the victim before he entered the tiger enclosure at the attraction. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter Follow related topics: