Tiger That Fatally Mauled Visitor Will Not Be Euthanized, Wildlife Park Says

The Siberian tiger involved in a fatal mauling at a British wildlife park over the weekend will not be euthanized, park officials announced Sunday.

Altai, a young male Siberian tiger, attacked a man who had entered the big cat's enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in northern England on Saturday afternoon. Video footage showed the tiger biting and clawing at the man's back after he climbed over a fence. Rangers fired two warning shots from a shotgun to encourage the tiger to retreat back into its pen.

The unidentified man had reportedly asked a stranger to take his picture shortly before entering the enclosure, which houses two Siberian tigers. Park staff were able to scare the tiger away, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

"We can reassure everyone that he is safe and well and will not be euthanized as a result of this incident," Yorkshire Wildlife Park said in a statement. "Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family and loved ones of the man who sadly lost his life."

The park remained closed on Sunday as an investigation into the incident took place. The enclosure where the attack occurred features a 16-foot fence, with a separate 3-foot "stand-off" fence around a viewing platform.

Witnesses reported that the man appeared to be dancing and "psyching himself up" before he entered the tiger's habitat. Some users speculated that he may have been using a gesture from Makaton, a language program often used by individuals with communication difficulties.

Altai was brought to Yorkshire Wildlife Park to breed with a female Siberian tiger named Tschuna. The park is home to two Siberian tigers, who inhabit a 2-acre enclosure with varied terrain.