Woman voices concern over public reaction to tiger attack death at Yorkshire Wildlife Park
"It just feels a bit sad that his death is not mourned more”
A local woman has voiced concern over the public's reaction to a fatal tiger attack at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, suggesting a lack of compassion for the victim, especially if he had additional needs.
Angela Seivewright, who lives near the park and is a season ticket holder, laid flowers at the closed attraction's gate on Monday, following the incident over the weekend.
Ms Seivewright highlighted her distress at online comments, stating: "I believe that the person who was killed had additional needs."
She recounted being "really bullied a lot" on social media for expressing hope for the victim's well-being.
With a special needs child herself, Ms Seivewright speculated the man might have been using sign language towards the tiger, finding the public's response "really unfair" and upsetting.
She questioned the park's protocols for vulnerable visitors, asking: "What mitigations did they have in place if they saw somebody with additional needs on his own near a dangerous animal?"
Ms Seivewright also reflected on the broader community's empathy, noting, "it just feels a bit sad that his death is not mourned more," and that people "seemed to care more about the tiger".
The Doncaster attraction remained closed on Monday as investigations continued into the death of the man, who was attacked after entering the tiger enclosure on Saturday.
Emergency services were called shortly after 1.30pm on October 10, and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
South Yorkshire Police confirmed his family had been informed.
Councillor Steve Cox, representing the Finningley ward, expressed sympathy for the staff, stating: "I'm sure everybody did what they could."
Deputy civic mayor Councillor Nick Allen urged against speculation, describing the incident as "really shocking".
Yorkshire Wildlife Park confirmed that Altai, the Amur tiger involved, is "safe and well" and will not be euthanised.
The park, which opened in 2009, features a two-acre reserve for the endangered Amur tigers.
Police are aware of online footage of the incident and have urged the public not to share it.
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