A mother attempted to stop the man who was killed by a tiger from jumping into its zoo enclosure, witnesses have said.
Anthony Hunt and his girlfriend Scarlet Hogan, who were visiting Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, told The Telegraph that the woman “desperately tried to pull back” the victim as he tried to jump into the compound.
The man overpowered the woman, who was with her two children at the time, and leapt from a bridge into the tiger pen, Mr Hunt told the newspaper.
“The man started praying to the tiger, bowing down to it – the tiger looked a bit confused,” Ms Hogan said. “Up until he got attacked, it was like he was in a trance, not in reality at all.”
“He had arms wide open ready for the tiger to attack him. It was quite bad. We were just stood there, frozen... the last thing we saw was the tiger’s jaw on his neck,” she added.
Did you see what happened? Contact joe.middleton@independent.co.uk
Resident criticises reaction to man killed by tiger
A woman who lives near the wildlife park where a man was killed by a tiger has said she was concerned over reports the victim may have had additional needs and that people “seemed to care more about the tiger”.
Angela Seivewright went to lay flowers at the gate of Yorkshire Wildlife Park, which remained closed on Monday after the fatal incident over the weekend.
She said she had previously seen adults with special needs in the park with carers who appeared to be “a bit distracted” and felt “sad” at much of the reaction to the man’s death.
Ms Seivewright said: “I believe that the person who was killed had additional needs.
“And, when I looked at social media over the weekend, when I said I hoped the person was OK, I got really bullied a lot – saying that he deserved to die.”
“I have a special needs child and I think he was doing sign language to the tiger.
“So, it just felt it was really unfair that people were almost wishing him to die as opposed to not wanting anybody to be hurt.
“So it was really upsetting. My daughter goes to school next door and we live around the corner. And I just thought there would be way more flowers here.”
Recap: Visitor recounts hearing gunshots as helicopters circled overhead
Karmelle Pelham, from Worksop, told the BBC she was on a family day out at the park when it was evacuated.
She said they were in a lemur enclosure when they were told to leave, before being ushered “further and further into the park”.
They heard what sounded like several gunshots before seeing helicopters circling overhead.
“There was big black tarpaulin over the tiger enclosure,” she recounted, adding that staff handled the incident well.
“They did a great job of getting us out without panicking anyone.”
Police urge people not to share footage on social media
Police have urged people not to share distressing footage of the incident circulating on social media.
In a statement, South Yorkshire Police said it is “aware of footage circulating online” and asked people not to engage with it.
Man killed by tiger 'posed for photo with animal before climbing into pen'
The man who was killed after climbing into a tiger enclosure had posed for a picture with the animal in the background before entering the pen, witnesses have said.
Witnesses have described how the man appeared to be “psyching himself up” and “dancing” while listening to music through his AirPods before entering the enclosure.
"The man who I saw on the bridge with his AirPods in dancing was happily enjoying seeing the tiger,” one woman said. “He obviously wasn't with anyone and he asked a total stranger to take a picture of him with the tiger in the background.
"Probably the last photo on his phone. I'm not sure if he was with a carer or family member but I honestly do think he just wanted to play with the tiger.”
What happened in the Yorkshire tiger attack?
A man was fatally attacked by a tiger after he climbed into the animal enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Friday.
Witnesses have said the man posed for a picture with the tiger before entering the pen.
Emergency services were contacted shortly after 1.30pm on October 9 when he entered the enclosure.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene, South Yorkshire Police have said, adding that his family were informed.
Police have also confirmed the tiger was unharmed in the incident.
Tiger King star Carole Baskin said animal 'was not doing anything wrong'
Carole Baskin, star of the hit TV show Tiger King, has urged UK authorities to leave the animal along after it fatally mauled a man who entered its enclosure.
In a written statement to the New York Post, Ms Baskin said: “The tiger was not doing anything wrong by being a tiger. I am relieved to hear that the animal was not harmed.”
She added: “We don’t yet know all the circumstances that led to this man’s death, and it would be wrong to speculate,” she explained.
“What we do know is that a tiger is a powerful wild predator, and no amount of captivity, training, or familiarity can change that.”
Ms Baskin also offered her heartfelt condolences to the family of the man who was killed.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park's statement in full
A spokesperson for the park said this morning: “Due to the serious incident that occurred at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, the 10th of October, unfortunately the park remains closed for the whole of Monday, the 12th October.
“Anyone with a booking for this date will be contacted within the next five working days with details of how to reschedule your booking.
“We apologise for the late notice any inconvenience caused.”
Tiger will not be euthanised after fatal attack on man
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has said the tiger who attacked a man who entered its enclosure is “safe and well” and will not be euthanised following the incident.
In a statement on social media on Sunday, the wildlife park said “many, many people” had contact them about Altai, the Amur tiger involved in the incident, and it confirmed he is well.
The park was evacuated soon after the incident and it was later announced that the attraction would remain closed on Sunday.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park opened in 2009, with the Land of the Tigers attraction opening in 2011.
The attraction is a purpose-built, two-acre reserve for Amur tigers, an endangered subspecies with around 500 left in the wild.
The statement from Yorkshire Wildlife Park read: “We would like to thank everyone who has expressed their concern following yesterday’s tragic incident.
“Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family and loved ones of the man who sadly lost his life.
“The park will be closed today while the staff team who were deeply affected by events receive specialist support.
“Many, many people have contacted us about Altai, the tiger. We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident.”
BREAKING NEWS
Yorkshire Wildlife Park said it will remain closed for the whole of Monday as investigations continue into the death of a man who was attacked by a tiger when he entered its enclosure on Saturday.
Zoo shares sympathies with family of man who lost his life
Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Sunday expressed their thoughts and sympathies with the family of the man who sadly lost his life at the zoo this weekend.
“We would like to thank everyone who has expressed their concern following yesterday's tragic incident,” they said in a statement.
“The park will be closed today while the staff team who were deeply affected by events receive specialist support,” the statement added.
“Many, many people have contacted us about Altai, the tiger. We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident.”