Man killed by tiger at Yorkshire Zoo posed for photo with animal before climbing into enclosure, witnesses say

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The man who was killed after climbing into a tiger enclosure had posed for a photo with the animal in the background before entering the enclosure, witnesses said.

Police were called after the man entered the grounds of a Yorkshire zoo at around 1.35pm on Saturday. Visitors were evacuated from the park and air ambulances were dispatched, but the man was later pronounced dead at the scene, South Yorkshire Police said.

Witnesses described how shots were fired in an attempt to distract the tiger and allow emergency responders to enter the enclosure. Talk to The mirrorone said: “Guns were fired into the air to make noise and distract the tiger. The animal was not shot and is perfectly fine and uninjured.

“The barriers are huge. You have to really want to get inside the compound to be able to do that. From start to finish, the incident was over in a matter of minutes. The guards did everything they could. It’s horrible.”

Police have since confirmed that the animal was unharmed during the incident.

Witnesses described how the man appeared to be “getting excited” and “dancing” while listening to music through his AirPods before entering the compound.

“The man I saw on the bridge with his AirPods dancing was happy to see the tiger,” one woman said. “He was obviously not with anyone and he asked a complete stranger to take a photo of him with the tiger in the background.

“Probably the last photo on his phone. I don’t know if he was with a caregiver or a family member, but honestly I think he just wanted to play with the tiger.

“Tragic for his family. Tragic for the staff who were brilliant but in shock. Fortunately the tiger survived.”

Police said their investigation was continuing and urged people not to share the distressing images posted on social media.

Police said the man’s family had been informed and there appeared to be no greater risk to the public.

Yorkshire Wildlife Park also released a statement saying it is “working closely with the authorities to determine exactly what happened.”

“We can confirm that a serious incident occurred today in the tiger enclosure,” he said on Saturday.

“Our emergency response procedures were immediately activated and emergency services attended the scene.

“We are working closely with authorities to determine exactly what happened. The safety and well-being of our visitors, staff and animals remains our top priority. The park is now closed and will remain closed tomorrow.”