A man died on Saturday afternoon after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster, prompting an immediate evacuation and an emergency response involving police, ambulances, and an air ambulance.
Updated October 14, 2026
Emergency Services Rush to Yorkshire Wildlife Park
Emergency services rushed to Yorkshire Wildlife Park after receiving calls at about 1.30pm on Saturday. South Yorkshire Police confirmed that medical personnel attempted to save the victim, but he was pronounced dead at the scene after a man entered the facility’s tiger enclosure and suffered severe injuries following an attack by one of the animals.
The Yorkshire Ambulance Service dispatched multiple resources to the location, including two ambulances, a doctor, and a Yorkshire air ambulance. Officers remained at the scene into Saturday evening as investigators worked to determine the exact circumstances of the incident, while park staff evacuated visitors and closed the facility.
Park Officials Confirm Tiger Uninjured During Incident
Authorities stated that the tiger remained uninjured inside the enclosure during the event and that there was no wider risk to the public. Police and park administrators moved quickly to clarify the situation as rumors circulated regarding the animal involved.
“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.”
Yorkshire Wildlife Park, official statement
The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff and animals remain our highest priority,
the park said in a statement on its website. Police added that specialist officers are supporting the victim’s family, while urging the public to avoid sharing distressing video footage circulating on social media.
Exhibit Houses Endangered Amur Tigers
Yorkshire Wildlife Park began operations in 2009, opening the Land of the Tigers exhibit two years later in 2011.
The incident occurred within the facility’s prominent big cat exhibit.
The attraction features a purpose-built reserve spanning roughly two acres, or 0.4 hectares, designed for endangered Amur tigers—also referred to as Siberian tigers, a subspecies with an estimated 500 individuals remaining in the wild. According to the park’s documentation, the habitat includes a 300-metre raised walkway that lets visitors observe the animals roaming through woodlands, grasslands, and a waterfall pool.
Update (October 14, 2026)
According to the BBC, the victim has been identified as 23-year-old William Chapman. His family paid tribute to him as a "bright, warm and engaging" young man, noting that he had suffered from "significant mental illness" for several years and had been prescribed "strong medication." The family has requested privacy and expressed distress over the circulation of offensive media content.
City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation, and the park remains closed. An eyewitness reported seeing Chapman pacing near the enclosure while wearing headphones before he entered. Mobile phone footage, believed to have been filmed by Chapman, appears to show him approaching the tiger. Park staff have confirmed the animal involved is an Amur tiger named Altai and stated that the tiger will not be euthanised.