Man Prayed and Bowed to Tiger Before Fatal Attack in UK Zoo Enclosure

A man who died after entering a Siberian tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park was seen praying and bowing to the animal before the attack, witnesses reported. The man, whose identity has not been released, entered the "Land of the Tigers" exhibit on Saturday.

Witness Scarlet Hogan, 21, told The Telegraph that the man began praying and bowing to the tiger, named Altai, after entering the enclosure. "The tiger looked a bit confused," Hogan said, adding that the man appeared to be in a trance. "Up until he got attacked, it was like he was in a trace, not in reality at all."

Hogan and her boyfriend, Anthony Hunt, also stated that a mother with two children attempted to stop the man from entering the enclosure, but he overpowered her and jumped in. "He overpowered her and jumped off. She seemed really frightened," Hunt said. The mother reportedly heard the man speaking something religious.

Another witness described seeing the man dancing erratically earlier in the day and later with AirPods listening to music before he entered the tiger's habitat. Video footage circulating online appears to show the man on the ground, attempting to fend off the tiger's attack.

Park officials confirmed that Altai the tiger is safe and well and will not be euthanized as a result of the incident. Yorkshire Wildlife Park stated that its emergency response procedures were immediately activated and that they are cooperating with authorities to determine the exact sequence of events. The park closed for the remainder of the weekend following the fatal encounter.

The park emphasized that the safety and well-being of visitors, staff, and animals remain its highest priority.