A man who was mauled to death by a tiger at a wildlife park shared a haunting social media post shortly before the tragedy, as disturbing new details have emerged about his final moments.
The man died on Saturday, October 10, after entering the enclosure housing Altai, a rare Amur tiger, at Yorkshire Wildlife Park near Doncaster.
Emergency services were called to the park at around 1.30pm after reports that a man had climbed into the animal’s enclosure from a raised walkway.
Despite the efforts of emergency responders, he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Witnesses have since described the horrifying moment the tiger attacked, with some claiming the man appeared to bow towards the animal before approaching it with his arms outstretched.
Now, reports have emerged that the man shared footage from inside the enclosure on Instagram moments before his death, while other posts on his account have drawn attention because of their unusual imagery.
Haunting footage shared moments before the attack
According to reports, the man posted a video to Instagram shortly before the fatal incident, apparently filming as he walked towards Altai.
The footage reportedly shows the tiger resting on a raised wooden platform as the man slowly approaches. His breathing can be heard, while witnesses scream in the background.
The animal subsequently attacked him, and he was later pronounced dead at the scene.
The video is understood to have been shared on the day of the tragedy, although police have urged the public not to circulate distressing footage of the incident.
South Yorkshire Police confirmed that emergency services had been called after a man entered the tiger enclosure and was seriously injured in the attack.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the force said: “At 1.35pm today (Saturday 10 October) we received reports of a man entering a tiger enclosure at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. The tiger subsequently attacked the man, resulting in serious injury.”
The statement continued: “Emergency services attended and sadly, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.”
The man’s family were informed and received support from specialist officers.
Police also confirmed that the tiger was uninjured and remained in the enclosure, adding that there was no wider risk to the public.
Witnesses describe man’s final moments
Visitors who witnessed the tragedy have described seeing the man on the raised walkway shortly before he entered the enclosure.
Some said he appeared to be wearing headphones and pacing around, while others claimed he asked people to take a photograph of him with the tiger in the background.
Anthony Hunt and his girlfriend, Scarlet Hogan, were visiting Yorkshire Wildlife Park when the incident unfolded.
They told The Telegraph that a woman had desperately tried to stop the man from entering the enclosure, attempting to pull him back as he approached the compound.
According to their account, he managed to get past her before jumping into the tiger’s habitat.
Hogan described his behaviour in the moments before the attack as deeply unsettling.
She said: “Up until he got attacked, it was like he was in a trance, not in reality at all.”
The couple also described seeing the man bow towards the tiger and lower himself to the ground before the animal approached him.
Hunt said the man appeared to have his arms wide open, as though inviting the tiger towards him.
The witnesses said the situation unfolded quickly, leaving visitors shocked and unsure how to respond.
Another visitor, Ella Ford, told the BBC that she had seen the man climb over the barriers before entering the enclosure and lying down in front of the tiger.
She said she subsequently heard him shouting for help as the animal grabbed hold of him.
Some witnesses reportedly attempted to distract the tiger by banging on the fencing. Other accounts described shots being fired in an effort to divert the animal’s attention and allow emergency responders to reach the scene.
The exact sequence of events remains under investigation.
Speculation over man’s gestures remains unconfirmed
The man’s behaviour during the incident has also prompted speculation online, with some witnesses suggesting he appeared to be trying to communicate with the tiger through hand gestures.
The Daily Star reported that some people believed he was attempting to use sign language to signal disapproval towards the animal.
Others speculated about whether he was pointing at the tiger or making a gesture associated with Makaton, a communication programme that uses signs and symbols alongside speech.
However, these interpretations have not been confirmed by police or other authorities.
Some social media users have also suggested the man may have been deaf or had additional needs. There is no official confirmation of those claims, and they should not be treated as established facts.
Angela Seivewright, a local resident who visited the park to leave flowers, told the BBC that she believed the man may have had additional needs.
She said she had been upset by the reaction to his death online, particularly comments that appeared to show little sympathy for the victim.
Seivewright said: “I believe that the person who was killed had additional needs.”
She also said she thought he might have been using sign language, but this was her personal interpretation rather than a confirmed account.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed further information about the man’s circumstances.
Investigation launched as park remains closed
City of Doncaster Council has launched a health and safety investigation into the man’s death.
The council is responsible for licensing Yorkshire Wildlife Park and has confirmed it is working alongside police and health agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Dan Swaine, the council’s executive director of place, said: “As the relevant licensing authority for the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, I can confirm that, in line with our statutory duties, the council has launched a health and safety investigation.”
He added that the authority was supporting the wildlife park as it responded to the tragedy.
The park has remained closed following the incident, with staff offered specialist support after witnessing or responding to the events.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park has also reassured the public that Altai is safe and will not be euthanised as a result of the attack.
The five-year-old Amur tiger arrived from Dyreparken in Norway in February 2025 as part of a European conservation breeding programme for the endangered subspecies.
The incident has renewed discussion about visitor safety at wildlife parks, particularly the challenges of preventing people from entering dangerous animal enclosures.
Experts have stressed that zoos use barriers, fencing, signage, risk assessments and staff training to reduce risks, while acknowledging that unpredictable visitor behaviour can present challenges.
Disturbing images emerge from social media account
Other images reportedly shared on the man’s Instagram account have also emerged following the tragedy.
According to the Daily Star, one photograph showed him holding a Bible and a crossbow, with a crossbow bolt clenched between his teeth. In another, he’s making a notable hand gesture.
The image was reportedly uploaded on the same day as the fatal incident. The publication noted that the clothes he was wearing appeared similar to those seen in images of the man at the wildlife park.
However, the significance of the photograph and any possible connection to the events at the zoo have not been established.
The posts have prompted questions about the man’s state of mind in the hours before his death, but no confirmed explanation has been given for his actions.
It is important to note that social media images alone cannot establish what someone was thinking or why they behaved in a particular way.
Man’s identity revealed in new reports
While South Yorkshire Police have said they will not publicly name the victim at the request of his family, the Daily Star reported on Tuesday, October 13, that the man had been identified as William Chapman.
The publication also reported that images and videos had appeared on his Instagram account on the day of his death, including footage apparently recorded as he approached Altai inside the enclosure.
The reports about his identity and social media posts have emerged as authorities continue their investigation into the tragedy.
Police have not announced further details about the man’s circumstances, and the council has said it will not comment further on the individual while enquiries are ongoing.
For now, the full circumstances that led to the fatal encounter remain unclear, as the man’s family, witnesses and staff at Yorkshire Wildlife Park continue to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy.