Yorkshire Wildlife Park: Man dies after tiger attack at zoo near Doncaster

A man died after a tiger attack at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster, England, on Saturday, 10 October 2026. Police confirmed the man's death, as BBC Breaking News reports. According to witnesses, he had climbed over the fence into the Amur tiger enclosure beforehand.

What happened at Yorkshire Wildlife Park?

According to the British newspaper The Sun, the man is said to have been wearing headphones, dancing at the barrier and taking photos of himself with the big cat before the incident. Despite warnings from other visitors, he then reportedly climbed into the “Land of the Tigers” area. There, a tiger attacked him and, according to reports, inflicted severe bite wounds to his neck.

Park staff reportedly intervened immediately, among other things firing warning shots to scare the animal off. The tiger then retreated into its indoor enclosure. Emergency doctors, ambulances and an air ambulance arrived quickly, but all help came too late for the man: he died of his injuries at the scene.

What did witnesses say about the tiger attack?

Numerous visitors, including families with children, had to watch the scenes unfold. Eyewitnesses told The Sun they had seen blood and that the tiger had dragged the man back and forth by the neck. Amy Wright, a 36-year-old midwife who was at the park with her husband and their two children, aged six and three, reported traces of blood at the spot to which the tiger had dragged the man. Another eyewitness had told her that the animal had grabbed its victim by the neck.

Videos are said to show the man sitting directly opposite the tiger shortly before the attack, pointing his finger at the animal and kicking at it several times. The big cat then reportedly attacked him from behind and bit him in the back several times. The man is said to have shouted “stop”. Another visitor reportedly shouted “hey” loudly twice in an attempt to lure the tiger away from the man – to no avail.

According to The Telegraph, witnesses said a woman had tried to stop the man from jumping into the enclosure. In one video, a woman can reportedly be heard saying, “I tried to stop him.” Other visitors are also said to have tried to prevent him from climbing over the fence.

What is known about the man?

The man's identity has not yet been made public. Why he climbed into the tiger enclosure also remains unclear at this stage. No information about his age has been released so far.

Which tiger attacked the man?

According to reports, the animal is the male Amur tiger Altai. He was brought to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in South Yorkshire from a Norwegian zoo in 2025. According to USA TODAY, park officials have since announced what will happen to the tiger. No details on this have been released so far.