The park has been closed since Saturday’s fatal incident. An inquest opened on Thursday into the death of William Chapman, 24.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park will reopen on Friday 16 October and has confirmed that Altai, the tiger involved in the death of William Chapman, will not be euthanised. The park has been closed since Mr Chapman died after entering the tiger enclosure on Saturday 10 October. An inquest heard on Thursday that he died from severe injuries sustained in the incident. The hearing was also told he had a history of mental illness and a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
The park’s statement
Announcing the reopening on Thursday evening, the park said: “Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies remain with the family, friends and loved ones of William Chapman who sadly lost his life.”
It added: “The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff team and animals remain our highest priority.” The park thanked people who had sent messages of support to its team. It said many people had asked about Altai and reassured them that he is “safe and well and will not be euthanised as a result of this incident”.
It asked visitors to be “understanding and respectful” towards staff, who it said had shown “tremendous professionalism and dedication during an exceptionally difficult time”. The park said it is providing specialist trauma support for those affected, and that it would be inappropriate to comment further on the circumstances while inquiries continue.
The Yorkshire Post reports that the reopening will include the Land of the Tiger area. That does not necessarily mean Altai will be on public display straight away. The park has said his welfare remains a priority for its animal care team.
What the inquest heard
The inquest was told that Mr Chapman visited the park alone on 10 October. At about 1.30pm he climbed two fences to enter the enclosure, and Altai, an Amur tiger, approached him. The encounter caused multiple traumatic injuries. Park staff secured the tiger, and paramedics confirmed he had died at the scene.
The hearing was told he had experienced previous episodes of psychosis and had a schizophrenia diagnosis. He was described as highly functioning and independent, with no formal care requirements at the time of his death. The coroner has not determined whether his medical history or the care he received played any part in what happened, and nothing has established any link between his health and the incident.
Senior coroner Nicola Mundy has set the full inquest for 18 March 2027 at Doncaster Coroner’s Court. Her office is awaiting a more detailed report on the extent of his injuries.
Three inquiries
Several investigations are under way:
- South Yorkshire Police is examining the circumstances of the incident.
- City of Doncaster Council, which licenses the park, has opened a health and safety investigation. It has said its findings will be shared with the coroner.
- The Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust has opened an investigation into Mr Chapman’s mental healthcare. He had been receiving support from adult mental health services in Doncaster, and his family raised concerns about his contact with those services before his death. The investigation does not establish that the NHS failed in its responsibilities.
No finding of wrongdoing by the park or any healthcare provider has been announced.
Who William Chapman was
The inquest was told his full name was William Harry Bruce Chapman. He was born in Chichester, West Sussex, in 2002, and was living in Doncaster, working as a self-employed online trader. As a child, he appeared in ITV’s May Contain Nuts and BBC Learning’s True Stories. He attended Jackie Palmer Stage School in Buckinghamshire, which has paid tribute to him.
His stepfather travelled to identify his body at the mortuary on Tuesday 13 October. The family did not attend Thursday’s hearing and were to receive an update from the coroner’s staff.
Footage shared online
Mr Chapman’s family has said it is distressed that videos of the attack are being circulated, and has called for the sharing of such footage to stop. According to the research notes, the controversy grew after US President Donald Trump shared footage of the incident on Truth Social, and later posted an AI-generated video of himself with a tiger. South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard condemned the posts and expressed support for the family. South Yorkshire Police has also asked people not to share recordings of the attack.
