A 20-year-old man died tragically at a zoo in Yorkshire, England, after being attacked by a Siberian tiger.
According to the Daily Mail, the man reportedly made a gesture that signified the word “bad” shortly after entering the tiger’s enclosure.
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The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon at the Yorkshire Wildlife Park, near Doncaster. The victim, whose identity has not been released, was attacked by the tiger, named Altai, which weighs approximately 190 kilograms.
A man has reportedly jumped into the tiger enclosure at The Yorkshire Wildlife Park in England. Looking at these images, there is something wrong with this man. He is trying to point a finger at the tiger
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— Semper Raw
(@SemperRaw) October 10, 2026
Two ambulances and a helicopter rushed to the scene at approximately 1:35 p.m. Rescuers set up a black screen around the animal’s enclosure in an attempt to administer first aid to the man. However, despite their efforts, he succumbed to his injuries.
Park officials reportedly made every possible effort to save the man. As part of their efforts, five loud bangs—similar to shots fired from a carbine—were heard in an attempt to drive the tiger away from the victim.
A video circulating online reportedly captures the moments of the attack. In it, the man appears to be standing close to the tiger, which circles around him before striking him in the back with its paw and shaking him violently.
The gesture that sparked comments
According to the Daily Mail, shortly before the attack, the man appears to be scolding the tiger by making a fist and wiggling his little finger. Social media users, as the article notes, say this gesture means “bad” in the Makaton communication method.
Makaton is a communication system that combines gestures, pictures, and speech; it is used, among others, by people who face communication difficulties and differs from British Sign Language.
On Platform X, several users commented on the video, speculating that the man might have been using this particular communication method.
One user commented that the man “is using Makaton, pointing his little finger with a clenched fist, to say ‘bad.’”
Another agreed, writing: “He’s using Makaton signs in the video—specifically, raising his little finger, which means ‘bad.’” Yet another user noted that the man’s “body movements and hand signals” resembled those used in that particular communication system.
The tiger will not be put down
Despite the fatal attack, the zoo confirmed that the tiger will not be put down.
“So many people have reached out to us about Altai, the tiger,” the park said in a recent statement.
“We can assure everyone that he is safe and in good health and that he will not be euthanized as a result of this incident.We would like to thank everyone who expressed their concern following yesterday’s tragic incident.”
A source told the Manchester Evening News on Sunday: “The shots were fired into the air to create noise and distract the tiger. The animal was not shot and is perfectly fine, with no injuries.The protective barriers are enormous. Someone would really have to want to get into the animal’s enclosure to be able to do so. The whole incident lasted just a few minutes, from start to finish. The keepers did everything they could. It’s horrific.”
