Emergency services and an air ambulance are at the scene of a serious incident at the popular South Yorkshire zoo, which is now closed for the weekend
The scene at Yorkshire Wildlife Park which has been evacuated and closed due to an ongoing emergency incident(Image: Charley Atkins / SWNS)
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has been evacuated after a visitor “entered the tiger enclosure”.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing someone enter the enclosure at the South Yorkshire zoo before it is alleged “shots were heard” being fired. The enclosure has since been screened off and an air ambulance has landed in the vicinity.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed a “serious incident” had occurred at the tiger enclosure and said the zoo’s emergency response procedures were activated, reports Yorkshire Live.
The emergency services remain at the scene and the park is set to be closed all weekend. The statement said: “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”.
South Yorkshire Police said: “At 1.35pm today (Saturday, October 10), 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 working at pace to make contact with the man’s family and no further detail will be provided at this time.
“The tiger remained in the enclosure following the incident and there is no wider risk to the public. Following the incident, Yorkshire Wildlife Park was evacuated and officers remain on scene carrying out enquiries. We are aware of videos circulating online and we would encourage people not to share this distressing footage.”
A Yorkshire Ambulance Service spokesman added: “We were called at 13.33 on Saturday 10 October 2026 to an incident at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster. We sent a number of resources, including two land ambulances, the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and a doctor.”
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