Yorkshire Wildlife Park: Brave mother tried to stop man entering tiger enclosure where he was mauled to death

A mother has been hailed amid reports she fought to physically restrain a man from climbing into a UK tiger enclosure where he was subsequently mauled to death by the apex predator.

The revelations came as further details have emerged of the fatal encounter between the dead man and the big cat named Altai at Yorkshire Wildlife Park on Saturday afternoon.

It was previously believed that the man jumped from a viewing platform into the enclosure, where Altai attacked the man after briefly circling him.

The male tiger only retreated to his pen when rangers quickly fired warning shots from a firearm shortly after the incident.

Now UK media claims that an unknown mum who was at the wildlife park with her kids tried to physically restrain the man in the critical seconds before he jumped into the big cat enclosure.

The Telegraph cited eyewitness Anthony Hunt who said that the woman was not strong enough to stop the man - believed to be in his early to mid-20s - from jumping into the tiger’s domain as her two children watched on.

“He overpowered her and jumped off. She seemed really frightened.

“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.”

Mr Hunt was among parkgoers who had seen the man acting bizarrely and dancing “erratically” earlier in the day.

The Sun reported that fellow zoo patrons had also tried to block the man’s efforts to climb into the enclosure with a woman on video footage of the mauling overhead saying “I tried to stop him”.

Moments before the fatal attack the man had asked other patrons to take his photo after he was seen “dancing on the bridge overlooking the enclosure”.

“My partner was recording the tiger and you can hear me having this interaction.

“You can hear him asking for a photo. I took a couple of him with his back towards the enclosure.

“I positioned the camera so I could get Altai in it with him.”

A short time later, he scaled the fence of the animal’s enclosure and jumped in.

Confronting footage circulating online appeared to show the 190kg tiger circling the man on the grass before attacking him and shaking him violently.

The victim, who has not yet been identified, could be heard yelling ”no, no” during the terrifying ordeal.

After Altai grabbed the man by the neck he was seen holding up a little finger – a gesture signifying the word “bad’” in Makaton – sign language for people who struggle to express themselves, according to Metro.

Zoo keepers desperately tried to intervene as police and ambulance crews raced to scene.

Despite the efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene, and his family have since been informed, South Yorkshire Police (SYP) said.

In a social media post, Yorkshire Wildlife Park spokesperson said they were “deeply saddened” by the “tragic incident”.

“Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with the family and loved ones of the person who has lost their life,” they said.

“We are working closely with the police and relevant authorities and would ask that the privacy of those affected is respected at this extremely difficult time.”