Wildlife Park Reopens After 24-Year-Old Man Killed by Tiger in Enclosure

The Siberian tiger involved in the incident is safe and will not be euthanized, officials said

NEED TO KNOW

• Yorkshire Wildlife Park reopened on Friday, Oct. 16, six days after closing following a fatal tiger mauling incident
• William Chapman, 24, was attacked by a tiger inside its enclosure on Oct. 10
• The Siberian tiger involved is safe and will remain at the park, officials said

The British wildlife park where a man was killed by a tiger in an enclosure has reopened for the first time.

On Thursday, Oct. 15, Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, England, announced via social media that it would reopen on Friday, Oct. 16, following the death of 24-year-old William Chapman, who was mauled in the park on Oct. 10.

The park was closed after the attack as investigators looked into the incident.

“Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family. friends and loved ones of William Chapman who sadly lost his life,” the park wrote in its reopening announcement. “The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff team and animals remain our highest priority.”

The park also shared that Altai, the Siberian tiger that was involved in the fatal incident, is “safe and well” and will not be euthanized.

“His ongoing welfare at YWP remains a priority of our experienced animal care team,” park staff added.

Investigators found that Chapman — who witnesses previously said was “dancing” and asking for photographs with the animal prior to the attack — had a history of mental illness and a diagnosis of schizophrenia, and that his family had expressed concerns about him to mental health services leading up to his death, according to the BBC.

South Yorkshire Police previously confirmed that it received reports of a man entering the enclosure around 1:35 p.m. local time before the tiger attacked him.

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

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One witness, Anthony Hunt, said he saw the tiger as it “leapt off the landing, and sniffed the guy” after the man “bowed down, on all fours, started praying, and looking up at the sky” while in the enclosure, according to Sky News.

Another witness said he was on the tiger bridge with his girlfriend when he saw the man “dancing with his earphones on” before asking them to take a photograph of him.

Chapman apparently shared footage of himself approaching the tiger shortly before the attack, Sky News reported.

The Doncaster Coroner’s Court confirmed to the BBC that Chapman, a self-employed online trader, had previously suffered periods of psychosis and was under the care of NHS officials.

Chapman was “highly functioning and independent with no care requirements,” officials said.

City of Doncaster Council, which licenses the park, also told the outlet that it was carrying out a health and safety investigation into the incident.

Hundreds of visitors attended the park’s reopening on Friday, many of whom came to show their support for the park’s staff and animals in the wake of the tragedy, they told the BBC.

“We just want to support the centre, it’s just very sad and we feel for staff who must have been through a lot,” one mother identified only as Taylor told the outlet. “We will go to the tiger enclosure and feel safe.”

Visitor Candice Ramos said there was a stronger-than-usual staff presence at the Land of the Tiger area, where Altai’s enclosure is located.

“There’s an awareness of what’s happened,” Ramos, who shared that she regularly takes her son to the wildlife park, told the BBC. “The staff are very proactive in saying, ‘it’s a new start.’ It’s not to say, ‘forget what’s happened’, but to move forward and carry on.”

In its statement, the park added that it would not share any further comment on the deadly incident amid the investigation.

“As we welcome visitors back, we would ask everyone to be understanding and respectful towards our staff team, who have shown tremendous professionalism and dedication during an exceptionally difficult time,” the park’s statement read. “We are providing specialist trauma support and ongoing care for those affected.”

“We would like to thank everyone for their patience, understanding and support during this difficult period, and we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the park,” it added.

If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health challenges, emotional distress, substance use problems, or just needs to talk, call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org 24/7.