Daily Mail
· collected 2026-10-12 · by Joshua Haining, Sophia Stanford
A man who was mauled to death by a tiger at a Yorkshire zoo was told to 'play dead' in a bid to survive, witnesses have said.
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witnesses → maul → bid
Desperate onlookers at Yorkshire Wildlife Park frantically screamed at the man to lay still after he climbed into the big cat's enclosure and was attacked at about 1.30pm on October 10.
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he → scream → October
Moments before the attack, the man, who was reported to be alone and dancing to music in his headphones, had asked visitors to take a picture with the 200kg male Siberian tiger, Altai.
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who → report → tiger
He is believed to have climbed into the enclosure where he began 'praying and bowing' on all fours in front of the animal.
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he → believe → animal
When the tiger attacked, the man screamed 'stop' several times and appeared to make a gesture for 'bad' in Makaton, a sign language system used by those with communication difficulties.
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man → attack → difficulties
Witnesses said he told the tiger to 'stop being naughty' and appeared as if he was 'in a trance' and 'not attached to reality'.
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he → say → reality
Police and ambulance services rushed to the park as staff evacuated visitors but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
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he → rush → scene
The licensing authority for Yorkshire Wildlife Park, City of Doncaster Council, has now launched a health and safety investigation into the man's death.
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authority → launch → death
A man was mauled to death by Altai (pictured), a Siberian tiger, after climbing into the big cat's enclosure
The zoo remained closed on Monday as investigations continue into the man's death
The scene at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday after a tiger mauled a man who entered its enclosure
Dan Swaine, Executive Director of Place at City of Doncaster Council, confirmed a probe will be launched in line with the the council's statutory duties.
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probe → maul → duties
Mr Swaine said the council is working with multiple agencies - including the police and health agencies - and are supporting the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in response to the incident.
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council → say → incident
'At this time, we won't be commenting further on the individual or the investigation and we ask that the privacy of those involved is respected at this difficult time,' he added.
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he → comment → time
Although animal attacks are rare, public safety remains an 'integral part' of regulations at zoos across the UK, with experts warning that visitors' unpredictable behaviour can not be eliminated.
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behaviour → remain → UK
Dr Campbell Murn, a former member of the government's expert committee for zoos said tighter regulations could help reduce the risk of future attacks.
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regulations → say → attacks
'There's an enormous amount of effort that goes into the securing of public safety for people who are visiting zoos, in addition to the weight that's given to animal welfare in those settings as well,' he said.
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he → be → settings
Mr Murn said zoos across the UK regularly undergo safety inspections to ensure enclosures are in line with the Secretary of State's standards of modern zoo practice.
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enclosures → say → practice
No visitors could enter Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Monday although it was initially believed it would reopen
Barriers had been put up to stop visitors entering the zoo where the man died on Saturday
Visitors were evacuated by staff before the park was closed for the remainder of the day after the attack
He added: 'There's a lot more extensive safety systems involved with dangerous wild animals.
'
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He → enter → animals
There's very clear standards that indicate the size and height of particular enclosures for dangerous wild animals.'
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that → be → animals
Despite the effort that goes into designing elaborate enclosures, 'if they really want to get in, they're going to find a way,' he said.
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he → go → way
It seems that in this case it was not possible to get there before the visitor was injured and subsequently died.'
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visitor → seem → case
He said that staff receive emergency response training in the event of an animal attack.
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staff → say → attack
'Their training is updated regularly, and they have immediately known and very rapid protocols to respond to emergency incidences, whether it's an escape in the zoo or whether in very rare situations like this.
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it → update → this
But Mr Durn said he would 'strongly support' the additional strengthening of zoo safety regulations.
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he → say → regulations
Dr Paul Rose, a member of the UK Zoos Expert Committee (ZEC) said zoos do consider risks linked to visitors' unpredictable behaviour.
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zoos → say → behaviour
'Public behaviour can be unpredictable as we all know,' he said.
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he → know → ?
'There will be mitigation in place, such as high fencing, stand-off barriers, signage and explanation and a code of conduct for how to behave at the zoo – and for visitors to take responsibility for their actions.
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visitors → stand → actions
Yorkshire Wildlife Park pictured on Sunday as it remains closed following the fatal tiger attack
An air ambulance and police van are seen at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday afternoon
'
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ambulance → picture → afternoon
Risk assessments will also be undertaken regularly.
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assessments → undertake → ?
However, a risk of unusual human behaviour will always remain.
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risk → remain → behaviour
Following the attack, Tiger King star Carole Baskin shared her condolences to the man's family but insisted the tiger was not at fault.
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tiger → follow → fault
'The tiger was not doing anything wrong by being a tiger.
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tiger → do → anything
I am relieved to hear that the animal was not harmed,' Ms Baskin, who starred in the hit-show alongside the Joe Exotic, told the New York Post in a written statement.
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who → relieve → statement
'We don't yet know all the circumstances that led to this man's death, and it would be wrong to speculate,' she said.
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she → know → death
'What we do know is that a tiger is a powerful wild predator, and no amount of captivity, training, or familiarity can change that.'
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amount → know → that
Baskin, who is the CEO of Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida, added that the tragedy is a reminder that big cats should belong 'in the wild.'
A woman who lives near the park has since accused people on social media of 'caring more about the tiger' than the man who was savaged to death.
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who → add → death
Angela Seivewright went to lay flowers at the gate of Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which remained closed on Monday after the man's death.
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which → go → death
The mother said she had been 'really bullied' on social media after she wrote that she 'hoped the person was OK', with users responding that they thought the man who is believed to be in his 20s 'deserved to die'.
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who → say → 20s
'It just felt it was really unfair that people were almost wishing him to die as opposed to not wanting anybody to be hurt,' she said.
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she → feel → ?
'I have a special needs child and I think he was doing sign language to the tiger,' she added.
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she → have → tiger
My daughter goes to school next door and we live around the corner.
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we → go → corner
And I just thought there would be way more flowers here.'
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I → think → ?
…and 29 more, not listed.
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