A quick-thinking mother reportedly made a ‘desperate’ attempt to save a man who jumped into a tiger enclosure at the zoo before he was mauled to death.
Horrified families at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in the UK watched as the young man was fatally attacked by a Siberian tiger on Saturday.
One witness told the Daily Mail the man appeared agitated as he “psyched himself up” and performed a “dance” in the spectator area before he scaled the fence and jumped in.
Once in the enclosure he was met by Altai, a 190kg tiger, with footage circulating online that shows the cat circle the man before violently attacking and dragging him away.
The victim, who has not yet been named, could be heard yelling ”no, no” during the terrifying ordeal.
However, eyewitness reports reveal that a nearby mother “desperately tried to pull back” the man, believed to be in his 20s, before he jumped into the enclosure.
“He overpowered her and jumped off, she seemed really frightened,” Anthony Hutt told the Telegraph.
“We spoke to her after and she was like, ‘I tried to pull him back’ but I guess she didn’t want to risk her own life as well.”
As the horror unfolded rangers fired two shots from a shotgun to scare the cat which retreated to his pen, before authorities rushed to the zoo.
Despite paramedics’ best efforts the man was pronounced dead at the wildlife park in Branton.
“The tiger subsequently attacked the man, resulting in serious injury,” South Yorkshire Police confirmed.
“Emergency services attended and sadly, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
“The man’s family is aware and is being supported by specialist officers. Our thoughts are with them at this distressing time.
“Regarding rumours surrounding the condition of the tiger, the animal was uninjured and remained in the enclosure following the incident and there is no wider risk to the public.”