Tiger King star Carole Baskin speaks out after man entered tiger enclosure at zoo
Tiger King star Carole Baskin has defended a tiger that fatally mauled a man at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in England, saying the animal 'wasn’t doing anything wrong.'
South Yorkshire Police said in a statement that officers received reports of a man entering the tiger enclosure at the park on Saturday afternoon. He was pronounced dead at the scene despite the efforts of medical personnel.
Now, Baskin, who rose to fame in 2020 during her appearance in the Netflix phenomenon Tiger King, has spoken out, as she said to the New York Post: “The tiger was not doing anything wrong by being a tiger. I am relieved to hear that the animal was not harmed.
“We don’t yet know all the circumstances that led to this man’s death, and it would be wrong to speculate," she continued.
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"What we do know is that a tiger is a powerful wild predator, and no amount of captivity, training, or familiarity can change that," she added.
Baskin also extended her condolences to the family of the man who lost his life, and the two who witnessed the tragedy.
The Big Cat Rescue CEO said she hopes the 'terrible loss will lead to meaningful reflection about our relationship with wild animals' and help build a future where wild cats are protected in their natural habitat.
In a statement yesterday afternoon, South Yorkshire Police said: "The man's family is aware and is being supported by specialist officers. Our thoughts are with them at this distressing time.
"Regarding rumours surrounding the condition of the tiger, the animal was uninjured and remained in the enclosure following the incident and there is no wider risk to the public."
Visitors were evacuated from the Wildlife Park after the incident.
A statement on the site read: "The safety and wellbeing of our visitors, staff, and animals remain our highest priority.
"The park is now closed and will remain closed until Sunday 11th October."
Visitors who were ushered out of the park have described the moments surrounding the attack as 'chaotic.'
Alice, a woman who was at the park at the time told LADBible: “It felt chaotic. People near us were saying how they'd been near the tiger enclosure when they'd seen a young man climbing the fence into the enclosure where he had provoked the tigers which then retaliated.
“When we left we had to walk the length of the park and pass nearby the tiger enclosure and could see emergency services dealing with the scene from afar but not close enough to make out any casualties etc," she added.
The police force are now encouraging people not to share footage of the incident, as distressing videos reportedly began circulating on social media.
Topics: Tiger King, Carole Baskin, UK News
Kiesha Dosanjh