Tiger zoo to reopen after visitor was mauled to death as bosses ask public to be 'understanding and respectful' to staff

The tiger zoo at Yorkshire Wildlife Park Resort is set to reopen its gates to the public tomorrow after a visitor was mauled to death last weekend.

William Chapman, 24, died on Saturday after climbing into a big cat's enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster, where he was attacked by a 200kg Siberian tiger named Altai. 

The former child star, who was classed as vulnerable with a history of 'significant' mental health problems, had been dancing to music on his headphones and pacing along a walkway immediately before he hopped into the enclosure.

The park has remained closed since but is set to reopen tomorrow, including its Land of the Tiger attraction, with park bosses asking visitors to be 'understanding and respectful' to staff.

A statement from Yorkshire Wildlife Park Resort 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.'

It added: '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.'

Park bosses also described Altai as 'safe and well', and said that his ongoing welfare 'remains a priority' for the animal care team. 

Speaking to the Daily Mail, Tasha Lewis, animal welfare consultant at Living Things UK, believed it would be 'unnecessary' to remove Altai from the zoo.    

She said: 'It's a freak accident that has happened. It's not a normal behaviour for someone to climb into an exhibit where there is a dangerous animal.

'Rather than moving the tiger, the zoo needs to be aware that, if they are going to let members of the public in, there are people with mental health issues that could potentially act in a dangerous way. 

'They need to prevent that from happening and make sure that it is completely watertight, not only in terms of the animal escaping but also so members of the public can't get in.

'The tigers are being exhibited anyway for people to come and see them, so there should be provisions in place for people to come and see them. 

'There should be areas where he can hide away and be back. Whether him staying there makes the zoo busier because people are intrigued or not, the exhibit needs to be suitable for visitors.

'In my opinion, nothing should change other than the access. If people can climb a cage or wall to get into the exhibit, then it is not safe.'

Following the incident, distressing footage was also shared online of the tiger, which the zoo has confirmed will not be euthanised, pawing Mr Chapman, who could be seen sitting and lying on the ground. 

The former Jackie Palmer Stage School pupil screamed 'stop' several times during the attack and appeared to make the gesture for 'bad' in Makaton –  a language system generally used by individuals who struggle to communicate. 

He also told the 200kg tiger to 'stop being naughty'.

Ms Lewis added that the incident reminded her of a similar incident involving a gorilla in 2016, where zookeepers killed the animal after a four-year-old boy fell into his enclosure.  

She said: 'On that occasion, the child actually wasn't hurt but the gorilla was put down. That was a really, really sad story.

'There are a lot of good zoos doing incredible conservation work but, when you have these animals in your care, you need to make sure they have everything to replicate them being in the wild.

'But you also need to have the public in mind because zoos aren't vetting everyone who comes through the door and people come from different walks of life.'

The moment before Mr Chapman entered the enclosure was also captured on video, where he can be heard asking a parkgoer to take a picture of him with a tiger in the background.  

Altai, the animal that killed him, could be seen lying in the background under a shaded tree, playing with a fallen branch.

Minutes later, Mr Chapman began climbing over the walkway in a bid to enter the pen as a heroic older woman tried to pull him back down. 

However, according to witnesses, she simply 'wasn't strong enough'. 

A final video clip before the tragedy, shared to Instagram, showed Mr Chapman filming Altai, who was resting on a wooden raised platform, and began to slowly approach him. 

In the background, Mr Chapman's heavy breathing could be heard, as shocked onlookers cried, 'Oh my God'.

Zookeepers were said to have done 'everything they could' to drive tiger Altai off, firing five loud acoustic gun blasts in an attempt to scare him. 

Two ambulances and a helicopter raced to the scene at 1.35pm in a bid to save his life but Mr Chapman died at the scene.  

Following a post-mortem, Mr Chapman's provisional cause of death was listed as 'multiple traumatic injuries' after his encounter with the tiger. 

An inquest opening into his death on Thursday heard that Mr Chapman had a history of mental illness, a diagnosis of schizophrenia and had suffered bouts of psychosis.

'His family have expressed a number of concerns in relation to his contact with mental health services leading up to his death,' the coroner's officer Caitlin Brookes said.

At the time of his death, the 24-year-old self-employed online trader was under the care of Doncaster Mental Health Services but was 'highly functioning and independent with no care requirements', the inquest heard.

Ms Brookes said the Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust had launched an investigation following Mr Chapman's death.

The City of Doncaster Council, the licensing authority for the zoo, has launched a health and safety probe, while South Yorkshire Police also investigate the matter.

Mr Chapman's family chose not to attend today's opening hearing because they 'found things incredibly difficult,' the coroner added.

In a tribute to Mr Chapman, his family previously said he had suffered from 'significant mental illness' for several years and was 'prescribed strong medication'.

'William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved – and William loved them back,' they added.

Parkgoers described him as 'not attached to reality', as the former child actor – who starred in the ITV comedy May Contain Nuts alongside Harry Potter actress Shirley Henderson – was seen dancing to music on his headphones and pacing along a walkway before jumping into the enclosure.

Visitor Del Taylor recalled being approached by Mr Chapman to take photos of him with one of the tigers in the background before the tragedy. 

'He was so happy,' she said in a now-deleted TikTok video in which she appealed for cruel trolls to stop making jokes about the tragedy. 

'And then he's come and placed himself next to us, and he's passed me his phone, and he's asked me for his photo, and if you'd have seen him, without saying too much, you would understand why I'm saying what I'm saying.' 

In a statement this week, Mr Chapman's family said they are 'utterly devastated by their loss and are struggling to come to terms with what has happened.

'The publication and circulation of deeply offensive media content is causing them severe distress at an exceptionally vulnerable time. We ask people to stop doing this.

'The family are hopeful that the relevant authorities will do their utmost to get to the bottom of why our amazing son did what he did.'

As well as being mocked by trolls online, footage of the attack was also posted by US President Donald Trump last night, who wrote: 'Don't ever mess with nature!'

On Wednesday, he shared an AI-generated video of himself wrestling with and ultimately embracing the tiger, as The Lion Sleeps Tonight played in the background.

Mr Chapman's family added: 'William was a bright, warm and engaging young man whom his family dearly loved – and William loved them back.

'Sadly, William suffered from significant mental illness over a number of years and was consequently prescribed strong medication.

'It will be for the coroner to decide what part this played in his death. We would ask everybody to respect that process.'

On Wednesday, Downing Street said people should respect the family's views over the footage of the incident. 

However, No10 would not directly comment on Donald Trump posting the video online.

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: 'I think obviously the family have made their position clear. Of course, we respect that position.'

But he added: 'I'm not going to comment on the President's social media channels; he's got a press secretary who can speak to that.'

South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard condemned the President's actions, saying the Chapman family had contacted his office.

'They spoke to my office yesterday, sharing the pain and suffering it's causing them, knowing that videos and pictures of his death are being shared across social media,' he said.

'The President of the United States now using AI to mock that incident and the pain felt by the family of Mr Chapman, for little more than a cheap laugh on social media, should be greeted with the contempt it deserves.

'So I'm asking you, please, not to add to this family's pain. If someone shares the content with you, please don't pass it on.'

The mayor added: 'What happened at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday was tragic, not least because it's a place so many people associate with a family day out.

'The family of Mr Chapman remain utmost in my thoughts. I know all decent people across South Yorkshire will be sending them their love, thoughts and empathy.'

Altai was brought to the Yorkshire zoo so that he could mate with the only other tiger they have, Tschuna, a female Siberian tiger.

The pair live within a two-acre reserve that has woodlands as well as a waterfall pool. 

City of Doncaster Council, the licensing authority for Yorkshire Wildlife Park, has launched a health and safety investigation into the man's death.

Dan Swaine, executive director of place at City of Doncaster Council, said: 'As the relevant licensing authority for the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, I can confirm that, in line with our statutory duties, the council has launched a health and safety investigation.

'We are also working with multiple agencies, including the police and health agencies, and are supporting the Yorkshire Wildlife Park in response to the incident.

'At this time, we won't be commenting further on the individual or the investigation and we ask that the privacy of those involved is respected at this difficult time.'

As a child, Mr Chapman was passionate about acting and he appeared in the ITV period drama series Breathless.

He also played the scientist Edward Jenner in the BBC series True Stories about the lives of historical people in 2012.

A full inquest will be held on March 18 next year.