Man Mauled to Death by Tiger at Yorkshire Zoo Was Wearing AirPods and Danced in Front of Spectators Before Entering Enclosure

Families watched on in horror as a 30-stone Siberian tiger mauled to death a man who had entered its enclosure at a wildlife park. A witness said the “agitated” man was seized by the throat within seconds of scaling a fence at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Videos posted online shows the tiger, named Altai, pacing around the man on the grass before violently shaking him.

The victim, believed to be in his 20s, could be heard pleading “no, no” as the attack unfolded. Moments before the tiger attacked, the victim, whose identity had not been revealed by Saturday night, was seen kneeling on the ground with his arms spread wide open.

Attacked Within a Moment

He also pointed at the animal and repeatedly shouted “stop” as visitors screamed in a frantic attempt to divert the tiger’s attention. A woman can be heard saying, “I tried to stop him,” in the video. Zoo staff rushed to intervene, using gas-powered acoustic guns to fire five deafening, shotgun-like blasts near the tiger in a bid to scare it away.

The man, who was carrying a mobile phone and wearing AirPods, appeared to “psyche himself up” by performing a “dance” in the viewing area before scaling the fence, a witness told The Mail on Sunday.

Yorkshire Ambulance Service dispatched two road ambulances and an air ambulance to the scene. Paramedics carrying blood transfusion kits made desperate efforts to save the man, but South Yorkshire Police later confirmed that he had succumbed to his injuries.

Keepers were later seen covering part of the enclosure with black plastic sheeting to prevent visitors from seeing the scene.

Police said they were alerted at 1:35 p.m. to reports of a man entering the enclosure. In a statement, the force said: “The tiger subsequently attacked the man, resulting in serious injury.

“Emergency services attended and sadly, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

“The man’s family is aware and is being supported by specialist officers. Our thoughts are with them at this distressing time.”

Officers appealed to the public not to circulate videos of the attack.

Tiger Unharmed, Spectators Shocked

The tiger suffered no injuries and remained inside its enclosure, police said, adding that there was no broader threat to public safety. Yorkshire Wildlife Park, located near Doncaster, said it was cooperating with authorities as they investigated the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The attraction was evacuated following the attack and is expected to remain closed today. One witness commended the staff for keeping their composure during the emergency.

Altai was transferred to the park in February 2025 from Dyreparken Zoo in Norway, where the tiger was born.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Wildlife Park said late Saturday: “We can confirm that a serious incident has occurred today at the tiger enclosure. Our emergency response procedures were immediately activated and emergency services attended the scene.

“We are working closely with the authorities to ascertain exactly what happened. The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff and animals remain our highest priority. The park is now closed and will remain closed tomorrow.”

Yorkshire Wildlife Park first opened in 2009, with its Land Of The Tigers section launching two years later, in 2011.

The specially designed, two-acre habitat houses Siberian tigers, an endangered species with an estimated 500 remaining in the wild. Photographs show an elevated walkway for visitors, with fencing positioned above the area where the animals roam.