Yorkshire Wildlife Park Tiger who attacked man is ‘very calm’ animal
This comes after police have appealed to the public not to circulate reported distressing footage of a man being fatally mauled by the tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
The tigers are amongst the most popular attractions at Yorkshire Wildlife Park (Image: Yorkshire Wildlife Park)
The tigers are amongst the most popular attractions at Yorkshire Wildlife Park with hundreds of visitors making “Land of the Tigers” an essential stop during their visit to the park. Positioned at the heart of a 300 metre -long elevated walkway, the Land of the Tigers offers the “best views” of these “magnificent big cats”.
There, guests can observe the tigers wandering freely through woodland and grassland and splashing about in their own waterfall pool. The park, which focuses on conservation, houses Amur Tigers. Also known as Siberian Tigers, these are the largest of the big cats in the world but sadly, their numbers have plummeted to as few as 20 to 30 individuals.
International awareness and conservation programmes helped to boost their numbers back to over 500 in the wild. The average weight for males is 160-190kg, while females are smaller, at 110-130kg.
The scene at Yorkshire Wildlife Park(Image: Charley Atkins / SWNS)
Female Tigers will reach sexual maturity around three to four years of age and will have a litter size of between two to three cubs. Notable residents to call Yorkshire Wildlife their home include a tigress named Tschuna, who arrived in 2013, and Altai, a three year old male Amur tiger who arrived from Dyreparken in Norway in February 2025.
The identity of the tiger that attacked a visitor who had got inside the enclosure is not known at this stage. Tschuna arrived at the Park in 2013 and gave birth to three cubs two years later.
Eye witnesses say a “black screen” has been erected around the tiger enclosure(Image: Charley Atkins / SWNS)
All three of her cubs relocated to different parks around the world to participate in the crucial species breeding programme. When Altai arrived at the park, it was hoped he and Tschuna would mate.
In March 2025, Director of Animals, Charlotte MacDonald said: “We hope that Tschuna will enjoy the new company and that in time they can contribute to global conservation efforts to protect this incredible species. We are delighted with Altai.
“He is a beautiful, huge cat and very calm and receptive, his keepers at Dyreparken have clearly done a great job with him. It will take him a while to settle in at the Park as it is a big change for him but hopefully he will be out in the Land of the Tiger in the coming weeks.”
Altai was described at the time as a “nice and calm tiger” who “loves his training, eating and especially enjoys playing in the water outside”.
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