South Yorkshire Police have confirmed that a man sustained serious injuries after entering the tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday, October 10, 2026. Emergency services were alerted shortly after 1:30 PM, with the incident unfolding at 1:35 PM when police received reports of the man inside the enclosure.
Incident Details and Emergency Response
According to a police spokesperson, the tiger attacked the man, resulting in serious injury. The spokesperson stated, "At 1.35pm today (Saturday 10 October) we received reports of a man entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. The tiger has subsequently attacked the man and this has resulted in serious injury." Officers are currently working to contact the man's family, and no further details have been released at this time.
Videos circulating online appear to show the man being pawed at and grappled by the tiger after he appeared to jump into the enclosure. South Yorkshire Police have acknowledged the footage and have requested that the public refrain from sharing it.
Park Evacuation and Closure
The tiger remained in the enclosure following the incident, and the wildlife park was subsequently evacuated. Yorkshire Ambulance Service confirmed that two land ambulances, Yorkshire Air Ambulance, and a doctor attended the scene.
A statement posted on the wildlife park's social media reads: "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. 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."
Impact and Ongoing Investigation
Police remain at the scene, and the park is closed for the rest of the weekend. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to establish the full circumstances of the incident. The park's closure underscores the severity of the event, and the priority remains on the man's recovery and supporting his family.
