Man who entered tiger enclosure dies after attack at UK zoo

A man who entered a Siberian tiger enclosure at a British zoo died after being attacked by the animal. Local media including The Telegraph reported the incident Saturday (local time).

The incident occurred that day at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster, South Yorkshire. South Yorkshire Police said it received a report at 1:35 p.m. that a man had entered the enclosure and was subsequently attacked by a tiger. Emergency services dispatched two ambulances, an air ambulance and a doctor, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity and the reason he entered the enclosure were not disclosed. Police said the man's next of kin had been informed and that officers were providing support.

Video circulating on social media showed the man sitting on the ground, kicking at the approaching tiger before ultimately being bitten on the neck and chest. Police urged the public to refrain from sharing the footage.

Witness accounts varied. One witness told The Telegraph that the man had jumped into the enclosure and tried to play with the tiger. Other witnesses, according to British media, said the man appeared agitated before he entered the enclosure. Local media reported that he was believed to have climbed over a tall wire fence to get inside.

Some witnesses said the tiger attacked after they heard a gunshot, or that the tiger appeared to have been shot. Police said the tiger was "uninjured and remained in its enclosure after the incident," but made no separate comment on whether a shot had been fired. Police said there was no further risk to the general public.

The park said a "serious incident" had occurred at the tiger enclosure and that it had "immediately activated emergency response procedures." It said it was working with authorities to establish the circumstances, with the safety and welfare of visitors, staff and animals as its top priority. Visitors were evacuated, and the park remained closed Sunday while the investigation continued.

The "Land of the Tigers" zone where the incident took place opened in 2011. The roughly 0.4-hectare tiger habitat is designed so visitors can look down on the tigers from a 300-meter elevated walkway. The park itself opened in 2009 and is located about 260 kilometers north of London.