A man who died after entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in England had reportedly been behaving unusually beforehand, according to several visitors who witnessed the incident.
The man, who has not been publicly identified, entered the enclosure of Altai, a Siberian tiger, on Saturday, Oct. 10.
Emergency crews responded while park staff used sonic deterrents in an effort to move the tiger away. South Yorkshire Police later confirmed that the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The zoo said Altai was safe following the incident and would not be euthanized.
A tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.
Witness Ella Ford said she saw the man pacing near the enclosure while wearing headphones before he climbed onto the barriers.
She said he then jumped into the enclosure and moved toward the tiger.
Other visitors described seeing him walking quickly, dancing and taking photos before the incident.
Marie Miller said the man appeared to be alone and asked a stranger to take a photograph of him with the tiger in the background.
Another pair of witnesses, Anthony Hunt and Scarlet Hogan, said the man climbed onto a wooden railing before going over the barrier.
They also said a woman nearby tried to pull him back before he entered the enclosure.
Emergency services at Yorkshire Wildlife Park following the incident.
Hunt said the man later appeared to kneel and bow while inside the enclosure.
Video from the incident circulated widely online afterward. The zoo urged people not to share the footage, describing it as distressing.
Witnesses said people nearby tried to distract the tiger as the situation unfolded.
The park closed after the incident while authorities began investigating exactly what happened.