Tiger’s future after deadly assault – will it keep on show to ‘taste for blood’ fears
Despite Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirming Altai the tiger will not be euthanised following Saturday’s attack, it is unclear exactly what will happen to the big cat now
What happens now to Altai the tiger?
A man was mauled to death on Saturday by a tiger after entering its enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Terrified witnesses saw “pools of blood” as the animal – named Altai – dragged the victim away by the neck.
The horrific scenes unfolded in front of families and their young children, who were told to “look away”. Tragically the man died of his injuries despite air ambulances descending into the enclosure.
But what happens now to Altai? The Amur tiger retreated back to its pen after the incident and was uninjured after authorities arrived.
The man sadly died at the scene (file)
Cries not to kill it
Almost immediately after the man’s death, a chorus of “don’t kill the tiger” erupted on social media and news channels.
Some conservationists demanded we should not “use the word attack” because the animal was “just doing what it’s supposed to do”. Even Tiger King star Carole Baskin chimed in, pleading with officials not to harm Altai.
“The tiger was not doing anything wrong by being a tiger. I am relieved to hear that the animal was not harmed,” she told the New York Post.
Yesterday Yorkshire Wildlife Park penned a statement confirming the tiger would not be put down.
The scene at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday
“Many, many people have contacted us about Altai, the tiger,” they wrote. “We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident.”
Previous ‘attacks’
The park has not confirmed whether or not Altai will still be on display in the future – but from other incidents of tiger attacks, it is likely visitors to the park will still be able to go and see it.
In 2017 keeper Rosa King was fatally attacked by a big cat called Cicip after entering a tiger enclosure at Hamerton Zoo in Cambridgeshire.
Both the zoo and the keeper’s family requested the tiger not be destroyed and the beast was kept on display.
Many people have pleaded with authorities not to kill the animal
Visitors noted that when the park reopened just over two weeks after the tragedy, the then eight-year-old tiger was visible to the public basking in the sun inside his usual large, grassy enclosure.
In 2014 a tiger called Vijay killed a 20-year-old student who fell into its enclosure’s moat. The zoo didn’t euthanise the beast on that occasion either, instead keeping it under behavioural observation on display for the rest of its life.
Even Tilikum the captive bull orca which was involved in the deaths of three people between 1991 and 2010 was never destroyed by authorities.
The animal was kept at SeaWorld Orlando for breeding and limited exhibition until dying of a bacterial infection in 2017.
The park remains closed today
‘Taste for blood’?
Many may worry that Altai might now have a ‘taste for human blood’ after fatally mauling the man on Saturday.
However that theory is not supported by evidence. According to experts at BBC Wildlife the animals usually stick to a strict diet of “deer, pigs and buffalo”.
Very few tigers in the wild that have killed humans ever become repeat offenders while there has never been an example of a tiger in captivity continually mauling zoo keepers or staff.
