A man was killed after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in northern England and being attacked by one of the animals, British broadcaster Sky News reported Saturday.
Emergency services were called to the park, near the city of Doncaster, shortly after 1:30 p.m. South Yorkshire Police said they received reports that a man had entered the tiger enclosure. “The tiger then attacked the man, causing him serious injuries,” police said in a statement.
A photo said to be of the incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
(Photo: From social networks Section 27A)
Police added that efforts were being made to contact the man’s family. He later died at the hospital.
According to police, the tiger remained inside the enclosure and there was no danger to the public. Following the incident, visitors were evacuated from the park, which was closed for the rest of the weekend.
Park management told Sky News that emergency procedures were activated immediately and rescue teams arrived at the scene. “We are working closely with the authorities to establish exactly what happened,” the park said in a statement. Management added that the safety and welfare of visitors, staff and animals were its top priority.
A spokesperson for Yorkshire Ambulance Service confirmed that two ambulances, a Yorkshire Air Ambulance crew and a doctor were sent to the scene.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009 and is home to animals including lions, giraffes, tigers, leopards and black rhinos. According to the park’s website, an area known as the “Land of the Tigers” includes a 300-meter elevated walkway from which visitors can watch the animals roam below.
It was not immediately clear how or why the man entered the predators’ enclosure.
This article includes videos and images used under Section 27A of Israel’s Copyright Law.