LONDON, Oct 16 (Bernama-PA Media/dpa) -- A wildlife park in the United Kingdom (UK) is set to reopen on Friday for the first time since a man was killed by a tiger in an enclosure at the attraction, reported PA Media/dpa.
William Chapman, 24, was mauled to death at Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster on Saturday.
An inquest into his death, which opened on Thursday, heard that Chapman had a history of mental illness and had been diagnosed with schizophrenia.
The hearing at Doncaster Coroner’s Court was also told that Chapman had suffered previous bouts of psychosis.
City of Doncaster Council, which is responsible for licensing the park, is conducting a health and safety investigation and will share its findings with the coroner, the hearing was told.
Yorkshire Wildlife Park (YWP) confirmed it would reopen on Friday, almost a week after the fatal incident, following “engagement with the relevant authorities”.
In an earlier social media statement, the park said “many, many people” had contacted it about Altai, the Amur tiger involved in the incident. It confirmed that he was “safe and well” and would not be euthanised.
The park, which has been closed since the incident, confirmed on Thursday that the “Land of the Tiger” area would also reopen.
In a statement, YWP said Altai’s “ongoing welfare at YWP remains a priority of our experienced animal care team”.
“We continue to assist South Yorkshire Police and other relevant agencies with their ongoing enquiries into the circumstances of this tragic incident.
“As we welcome visitors back, we would ask everyone to be understanding and respectful towards our staff team, who have shown tremendous professionalism and dedication during an exceptionally difficult time.
“We are providing specialist trauma support and ongoing care for those affected.
“As inquiries remain ongoing, it would be inappropriate for us to comment further on circumstances at this time.
“We would like to thank everyone for their patience, understanding and support during this difficult period, and we look forward to welcoming visitors back to the park.”
-- BERNAMA-PA MEDIA/dpa