A man has died after entering the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, England, on Saturday afternoon, prompting a full evacuation of one of the UK’s most popular animal attractions.
Police were contacted at around 1:35 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, 2026, after a guest went into the enclosure, and emergency crews were soon dispatched to the South Yorkshire park.
In a statement reported by The Guardian, the police force confirmed the man’s death. “Emergency services attended, and sadly, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene,” the force said.
“The man’s family is aware and is being supported by specialist officers,” the statement went on. “Our thoughts are with them at this distressing time. Regarding rumors surrounding the condition of the tiger, the animal was uninjured and remained in the enclosure following the incident, and there is no wider risk to the public.”
Footage of the incident has since spread across social media. The clips show a man seated on the ground inside the enclosure while a tiger bites and attacks him. The full extent of his injuries has not been made public.
All guests were evacuated from Yorkshire Wildlife Park following the incident, and the park has confirmed it will remain closed on Sunday. It has not said whether it will welcome visitors again next week.
A notice posted to the park’s official website addressed the situation. “We can confirm that a serious incident has occurred today at the tiger enclosure. Our emergency response procedures were immediately activated, and emergency services are currently attending the scene,” it reads. “We are working closely with the authorities to ascertain exactly what happened.”
“The safety and well-being of our visitors, staff, and animals remain our highest priority,” the notice concluded. “The park is now closed and will remain closed on Sunday 11th October.”
The incident took place at Land of the Tigers, one of the park’s headline areas and home to two Amur, or Siberian, tigers named Sayan and Tschuna. The park’s website promotes the space as a highlight of any visit: “Take a spectacular walk along the 300-meter-long raised walkway above ‘Land of the Tigers’ for the best views of these magnificent big cats,” it says. “Witness the majestic cats freely roaming their woodlands and grasslands or playing in their very own waterfall pool.”
Yorkshire Wildlife Park, located in Branton near Doncaster, opened in 2009 on the site of a former farm and riding school. Guests follow themed trails past large, naturalistic habitats housing lions, tigers, giraffes, painted dogs, and lemurs, while Project Polar, one of the world’s largest polar bear enclosures, is its best-known exhibit. The park also runs a conservation charity, the WildLife Foundation, which supports breeding programs and field projects protecting endangered species worldwide.
This is a developing story.
