A woman has described the chilling moments before a man was mauled to death by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster, after he asked her to take a photo of him posing in front of the animal’s enclosure
A woman who captured what is almost certainly the final photograph of a man killed by a tiger has recounted the haunting moments before he entered the animal’s enclosure. Del Taylor was at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster on Saturday when the man approached her, requesting she snap a picture of him with the tiger visible behind.
She obliged, completely unaware that within minutes he would scale a safety barrier and venture into the enclosure, where the big cat would fatally maul him.
Speaking to The Sun, Ms Taylor recalled how the man enquired: “Can you grab a shot of myself with the tiger?” She took hold of his mobile while he positioned himself with the Siberian tiger in the background.
Video footage captured by Ms Taylor’s partner shows the man chuckling as he requested another photograph, repeating: “One more, one more, one more.”
He then expressed his gratitude, saying: “Thank you, lady.”
The pair departed after snapping the images. Within moments, the man had scaled the barrier and entered the tiger’s habitat, reports the Express. The man, thought to be in his twenties, was killed by the tiger, called Altai, as horrified onlookers witnessed the devastating attack.
South Yorkshire Police confirmed officers received reports of a man entering the enclosure at 1.35pm on Saturday. A force statement said: “The tiger subsequently attacked the man, resulting in serious injury.”
Emergency crews raced to the scene, but despite paramedics’ best efforts, the man was declared dead at the location. The incident led to the immediate evacuation of the wildlife park, with staff ushering visitors away from the scene as emergency services arrived.
Onlookers reported hearing loud noises as keepers attempted to divert the tiger’s attention. The creature was not harmed and stayed within its habitat.
Officers later appealed to the public not to circulate upsetting video footage of the deadly attack that was spreading on social media. The force confirmed the tiger was unharmed and stressed there was no broader danger to the public.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park stated it had instantly triggered its emergency protocols and was collaborating with authorities to determine precisely what occurred.
The park also assured that Altai would not be put down following the incident. The tiger came to the attraction in February 2025 from Dyreparken Zoo in Norway, his birthplace.
The park’s Land of the Tigers section launched in 2011 and boasts a specially constructed, two-acre habitat for Siberian tigers, a threatened species with approximately 500 believed to survive in the wild.
The devastating event has left both visitors and employees deeply affected, with the park extending its condolences to the deceased man’s family and loved ones. Officers are continuing their investigation into how the man gained access to the enclosure.
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