Carole Baskin has urged authorities to spare the tiger that killed a man who broke into its enclosure at a British zoo.
The “Tiger King” star, 63, told The Post in a written statement that she was “relieved to hear that the animal was not harmed” after the fatal mauling Saturday afternoon at Yorkshire Wildlife Park. The big-cat activist insisted the Siberian tiger bore no responsibility for the death.
“The tiger was not doing anything wrong by being a tiger,” Baskin wrote. “I am relieved to hear that the animal was not harmed.”
Emergency services rushed to the scene in South Yorkshire after police received reports of a man inside the tiger enclosure at 1:35 p.m. Local time. The unidentified victim had somehow breached the barrier and was swiftly attacked by the massive predator.
“The tiger subsequently attacked the man, resulting in serious injury,” South Yorkshire Police said in a statement. “Emergency services attended and sadly, despite the best efforts of medical personnel, the man was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Officers confirmed the tiger was “uninjured and remained in the enclosure following the incident,” adding that the animal poses no threat to the general public. The park closed immediately after the attack and remained shut through Sunday.
“We can confirm that a serious incident has occurred today at the tiger enclosure,” the park said in a statement. “The park is now closed and will remain closed tomorrow.”
How the man gained access to the enclosure remains unclear, and Baskin cautioned against premature conclusions.
“We don’t yet know all the circumstances that led to this man’s death, and it would be wrong to speculate,” she explained. “What we do know is that a tiger is a powerful wild predator, and no amount of captivity, training, or familiarity can change that.”
Baskin, who runs Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida, directed her sympathy toward those affected by the tragedy rather than assigning blame to the captive animal.
“My heart goes out to the family and loved ones of the man who lost his life today at Yorkshire Wildlife Park,” she shared. “No family should have to endure such devastating loss, and my thoughts are also with those who witnessed this tragedy.”
The incident drew immediate parallels to the very issues Baskin has spent decades campaigning against. Her non-profit organization works to end the exploitation of big cats in captivity and push for their protection in natural habitats.
“Tragedies like this remind us why that work matters,” Baskin said. “My hope is that this terrible loss will lead to meaningful reflection about our relationship with wild animals, and a future where both people and tigers are safer because we have chosen to protect wild cats where they belong: in the wild.”
Baskin became a household name through the 2020 Netflix phenomenon “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” which chronicled the feud between her and Joe Exotic, the flamboyant operator of an Oklahoma roadside zoo. The series followed Exotic’s spiral after Baskin won a $1 million lawsuit against him, which led to his conviction for hiring a hitman to kill her.
The park has not announced when it will reopen.