Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirms date zoo will reopen after tiger attack tragedy
The zoo has been shut since the tragedy, but will open its door again
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has confirmed it will re-open tomorrow six days after a man was killed in a tragic tiger attack.
The zoo, which is near Doncaster, has been shut since the tragedy on Saturday (October 14). William Chapman, 24, was mauled by an animal after climbing into its enclosure.
An inquest into his death has been opened and his cause of death was confirmed. It comes after his family paid tribute to him, remembering Mr Chapman as a “bright young man”.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park had remained closed following the tragic incident, but has since confirmed that it will open its doors again on Friday (October 16).
In a statement, a spokesperson for the zoo said: “Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family, friends and loved ones of William Chapman who sadly lost his life.
“The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff team and animals remain our highest priority.
We would like to thank all the people who have emailed, commented on our social media or contacted us with messages of support and love for our team at this time.
“Many, many people also contacted us about Altai, the tiger. We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident. His ongoing welfare at YWP remains a priority of our experienced animal care team.”
The statement continued: “The Park, including Land of the Tiger, reopens to visitors following engagement with the relevant authorities. We continue to assist South Yorkshire Police and other relevant agencies with their ongoing enquiries into the circumstances of this tragic incident.
“As we welcome visitors back, we would ask everyone to be understanding and respectful towards our staff team, who have shown tremendous professionalism and dedication during an exceptionally difficult time. We are providing specialist trauma support and ongoing care for those affected.
“As enquiries remain ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on circumstances at this time.
“We would like to thank everyone for their patience, understanding and support during this difficult period, and we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the Park.”