Man dies after being mauled by tiger at Yorkshire zoo when he 'leapt into enclosure' in front of stunned parkgoers

A man has died after being mauled by a tiger at a zoo when he leapt into its enclosure, police have said.

Footage recorded by stunned parkgoers shows the victim, who has not been identified, entering the caged area at Yorkshire Wildlife Park this afternoon.

Emergency services attended following reports of the attack, with two land ambulances and a helicopter rushing to the scene.

The man was pronounced dead after sustaining serious injuries, police said.

It is believed gas canisters were shot to scare the cat back into its enclosure, which has since had a black screen erected around it, and witnesses reported hearing up to five shots ring out.

The tiger was uninjured and remained in the enclosure following the attack.

South Yorkshire Police said: 'Emergency services attended and sadly, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

'The man's family is aware and is being supported by specialist officers. Our thoughts are with them at this distressing time.'

A force spokesman added there is currently no wider risk to the public. 

The wildlife park, near Doncaster, has two Amur tigers – a 17-stone female called Tschuna and a male called Altai, who only arrived in March last year.

Reports suggest the male tiger, Altai, was the animal involved in the incident.

The venue has been evacuated and will be closed for the rest of the day and on Sunday.

A police car pictured at Yorkshire Wildlife Park after a man was mauled by a tiger in its enclosure

The scene at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday after a tiger mauled a man who entered its enclosure

Visitors were evacuated by staff before the park was closed for the remainder of the day

Altai, the male tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, is pictured. Reports suggest he was the tiger involved in the incident

Video footage shared on social media shows a man wearing a black sweatshirt kneeling on the ground with his arms out wide as the tiger attacks him from behind.

The tiger is seen to bite the man on his back before mauling him on the ground and standing over him. 

The man, who remains unknown, then points his finger at the animal and can be heard repeatedly screaming 'stop'.

In another video of the attack, the tiger can be seen toying with the man and holding him on the ground with its paws.

Witness Dominic Ford, who was visiting the park this afternoon with his four-year-old niece, said he was ordered to evacuate by staff who appeared 'calm'.

Mr Ford said an air ambulance, ambulance and 'a hell of a lot of police came'.

Another visitor to the park, Tia Hanson, told The Star she and a friend were at the scene when the walkway between the tiger enclosure and the exit was closed. 

She said: 'It looks as if someone has jumped into the enclosure. People are saying they heard a gunshot and they say someone either jumped in, or fell in.

'When you're leaving you have to walk past the tiger enclosure and they've put up all sort of black tarpaulin so you couldn't really see.'

An air ambulance and police van are seen at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday afternoon

Police vehicles at the scene of the park on Saturday

The incident took place at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday afternoon, and left the man with serious injuries

A statement released by the park confirmed a 'serious incident' occurred today at the tiger enclosure. 

It read: '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.

'The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff and animals remain our highest priority. The park is now closed and will remain closed tomorrow.'

The park later added it was 'deeply saddened' by the 'tragic' incident.

A spokesman said: 'Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with the family and loved ones of the person who has lost their life.

'We are working closely with the police and relevant authorities and would ask that the privacy of those affected is respected at this extremely difficult time.'

Yorkshire Ambulance Service said: 'We were called at 13.33 on Saturday 10 October 2026 to an incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster. 

'We sent a number of resources, including two land ambulances, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and a doctor.'

South Yorkshire Police said: 'At 1.35pm today we received reports of a man entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

'The tiger has subsequently attacked the man and this has resulted in serious injury.

'Officers are working at pace to make contact with the man's family and no further detail will be provided at this time.

'The tiger remained in the enclosure following the incident and there is no wider risk to the public.

'Following the incident, Yorkshire Wildlife Park was evacuated and officers remain on scene carrying out enquiries.'

Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones said in a statement she was 'deeply saddened to hear of the tragic incident that has taken place today at Yorkshire Wildlife Park'.

She added: 'My thoughts and prayers are with all those involved at this immensely difficult time.'

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 endangered 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.

The attack comes only months after a three-year-old boy was thrown into a crocodile pit by a disabled man in Cambridgeshire.

The toddler was hurled 15ft into an enclosure containing at least 15 reptiles and bitten by a crocodile at Johnsons of Old Hurst in Huntingdon on June 18.

He was taken to hospital after he reportedly landed on a concrete walkway, suffering a broken arm and pelvis. He has since undergone seven gruelling operations, including a nerve graft aimed at restoring some function to one of his hands.

The 30-year-old suspect, who has a learning disability, was visiting the zoo with two carers when he launched the attack. He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder later that day.

Were YOU at Yorkshire Wildlife Park? Email noor.qurashi@dailymail.co.uk