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Parchizadeh J, Belant JL. Brown bear and Persian leopard attacks on humans in Iran. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0255042. [PMID: 34293067 PMCID: PMC8297784 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0255042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Large carnivore attacks on humans are a serious form of human-wildlife interaction which has increased globally in recent decades. When attacks occur, both humans and large carnivores suffer, highlighting the need to characterize these conflicts toward mitigation of attacks. We investigated brown bear (Ursus arctos) and Persian leopard (Panthera pardus) attacks on humans across Iran using reports provided by the Government of Iran during 2012–2020. We characterized temporal and spatial patterns of attacks, as well as species-specific attributes. We identified 83 attacks resulting in 77 human injuries and 6 fatalities. Bears were responsible for more attacks (63%) than leopards (37%). Attacks occurred more frequently during defensive reactions by bears and leopards on adult male people while livestock herding during the day in spring and summer. Bears reportedly attacked people more often in western provinces of Iran, while leopards attacked more frequently in northern provinces. We recommend that the Iran Department of the Environment consider implementing a national reporting system to document bear and leopard attacks on people. We further suggest development of national bear and leopard management plans that emphasize mitigating human risk to improve human attitudes toward these carnivore species to facilitate their conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamshid Parchizadeh
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Jerrold L. Belant
- Global Wildlife Conservation Center, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Department of Environmental and Forest Biology, State University of New York, Syracuse, New York, United States of America
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2
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Kudrenko S, Ordiz A, Barysheva SL, Baskin L, Swenson JE. Human injuries and fatalities caused by brown bears in Russia, 1932–2017. WILDLIFE BIOLOGY 2020. [DOI: 10.2981/wlb.00611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrés Ordiz
- A. Ordiz and J. E. Swenson, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian Univ. of Life Sciences, Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Svetlana L. Barysheva
- S. L. Barysheva, L. Baskin, Severtsov Inst. of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, Moscow, Russia
| | - Leonid Baskin
- S. L. Barysheva, L. Baskin, Severtsov Inst. of Ecology and Evolution, Russian Academy of Sciences, Leninsky prospect, Moscow, Russia
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- A. Ordiz and J. E. Swenson, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian Univ. of Life Sciences, Box 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
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3
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Gudmannsson P, Berge J. The Forensic Pathology of Fatal Attacks by the Large Mammals Inhabiting the Nordic Wilderness—A Literature Review. J Forensic Sci 2019; 64:976-981. [DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Petur Gudmannsson
- Department of Forensic Pathology Landspitali University Hospital 101 Reykjavik Iceland
- University of Iceland Faculty of Medicine Vatnsmýrarvegur 16 101 Reykjavik Iceland
| | - Johan Berge
- The Swedish National Board of Forensic Medicine The Division for Forensic Medicine Artillerigatan 12 58758 Linköping Sweden
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4
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Haidt A, Kamiński T, Borowik T, Kowalczyk R. Human and the beast-Flight and aggressive responses of European bison to human disturbance. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0200635. [PMID: 30067765 PMCID: PMC6070204 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0200635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 06/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Large mammals are often a source of conflict, and consequently there has been increasing interest in close encounters with them. Knowledge of wildlife responses to human disturbance is crucial for the management of increasing and expanding populations of large animals. We investigated flight initiation distance (FID) and aggressive responses of the European bison-the largest terrestrial mammal of Europe-to human disturbance in the Białowieża Forest (NE Poland). When encountered by humans, bison usually flee. Aggression was observed in only 0.4% of approach attempts. Mean FID was 77±46 m and was influenced by habitat, sex, and supplementary feeding intensity. Females showed greater timidity than males, FID was lower in forest than in open habitats, and supplementary feeding caused a drop in FID. In 84.5% of all documented aggression cases, bison attacks were provoked by humans approaching too close to the bison or by deliberate scaring them. Males were more aggressive than females, and attacked mainly during the rut, while females attacked during the winter and calving. Bison attacked in built-up areas significantly more often than expected. The mean critical distance of attacks was 21±2 m. Most attacks took the form of a short chase preceded by warning signs. Goring was observed in 22.7% of all aggression cases and no fatalities were recorded. Our study shows that bison are not dangerous animals and only manifest aggression in response to prolonged disturbance at close ranges. The education of people and recommendations for minimum approach distances should ensure a low rate of disturbance and safety when encountering large mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tomasz Kamiński
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Tomasz Borowik
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland
| | - Rafał Kowalczyk
- Mammal Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences, Białowieża, Poland
- * E-mail:
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5
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Støen OG, Ordiz A, Sahlén V, Arnemo JM, Sæbø S, Mattsing G, Kristofferson M, Brunberg S, Kindberg J, Swenson JE. Brown bear (Ursus arctos) attacks resulting in human casualties in Scandinavia 1977-2016; management implications and recommendations. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0196876. [PMID: 29791471 PMCID: PMC5965840 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0196876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Human persecution and habitat loss have endangered large carnivore populations worldwide, but some are recovering, exacerbating old conflicts. Carnivores can injure and kill people; the most dramatic form of wildlife-human conflict. In Scandinavia, the brown bear (Ursus arctos) population increased from ~500 bears in 1977 to ~3300 in 2008, with an increase in injuries, fatalities, and public fear of bear attacks. We reviewed media coverage and interviewed victims to explore how bear population trends, hunter education, and other factors may have influenced the number of injuries and fatalities in Scandinavia from 1977 to 2016. We found 42 incidents with 42 injuries and 2 fatalities; 42 were adult men, one was an adult woman conducting forestry work, and one was a boy skiing off-piste. Thirty-three adult men were hunting bears, moose, or small game, often with a hunting dog, and 26 had shot at the bear at 8±11 m before injury. Eleven nonhunters were conducting forestry work, inspecting a hunting area, picking berries, tending livestock, hiking, harassing a denned bear, and one person was killed outside his house at night. Eight of the 11 incidents of nonhunters involved female bears with cubs; three of these family groups were in dens and two were on carcasses. The annual number of hunters injured/killed was mostly influenced by the increase in the bear population size. The pattern was similar regarding injuries/fatalities to other outdoor users, but the relation with the bear population size was weaker than for hunters, and the null model was equally supported. Bear physiology at denning may make encounters with bears more risky in the fall, when bears show prehibernation behavior. Awareness and education efforts, especially among hunters, seem important to ensure human safety. Recreationists and forestry workers should avoid dense vegetation or make noise to warn bears of their presence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ole-Gunnar Støen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway.,Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Andrés Ordiz
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Veronica Sahlén
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.,The Norwegian Environment Agency, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jon M Arnemo
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden.,Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management, Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Koppang, Norway
| | - Solve Sæbø
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Science, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | | | | | - Sven Brunberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jonas Kindberg
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway.,Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden.,Swedish Association for Hunting and Wildlife Management, Öster Malma, Sweden
| | - Jon E Swenson
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway.,Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
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Penteriani V, Delgado MDM, Pinchera F, Naves J, Fernández-Gil A, Kojola I, Härkönen S, Norberg H, Frank J, Fedriani JM, Sahlén V, Støen OG, Swenson JE, Wabakken P, Pellegrini M, Herrero S, López-Bao JV. Human behaviour can trigger large carnivore attacks in developed countries. Sci Rep 2016; 6:20552. [PMID: 26838467 PMCID: PMC4738333 DOI: 10.1038/srep20552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The media and scientific literature are increasingly reporting an escalation of large carnivore attacks on humans in North America and Europe. Although rare compared to human fatalities by other wildlife, the media often overplay large carnivore attacks on humans, causing increased fear and negative attitudes towards coexisting with and conserving these species. Although large carnivore populations are generally increasing in developed countries, increased numbers are not solely responsible for the observed rise in the number of attacks by large carnivores. Here we show that an increasing number of people are involved in outdoor activities and, when doing so, some people engage in risk-enhancing behaviour that can increase the probability of a risky encounter and a potential attack. About half of the well-documented reported attacks have involved risk-enhancing human behaviours, the most common of which is leaving children unattended. Our study provides unique insight into the causes, and as a result the prevention, of large carnivore attacks on people. Prevention and information that can encourage appropriate human behaviour when sharing the landscape with large carnivores are of paramount importance to reduce both potentially fatal human-carnivore encounters and their consequences to large carnivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincenzo Penteriani
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, C.S.I.C., c/Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain.,Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University-Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain
| | - María Del Mar Delgado
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University-Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain.,Metapopulation Research Centre, University of Helsinki, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Javier Naves
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, C.S.I.C., c/Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Alberto Fernández-Gil
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, C.S.I.C., c/Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain
| | - Ilpo Kojola
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, P.O. Box 16, FI-96301 Rovaniemi, Finland
| | - Sauli Härkönen
- Finnish Wildlife Agency, Sompiontie 1, FI-00730 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Harri Norberg
- Finnish Wildlife Agency, Sompiontie 1, FI-00730 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jens Frank
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - José María Fedriani
- Department of Conservation Biology, Estación Biológica de Doñana, C.S.I.C., c/Américo Vespucio s/n, 41092 Seville, Spain.,Centre for Applied Ecology "Prof. Baeta Neves", Institute Superior of Agronomy, University of Lisbon, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Veronica Sahlén
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Postbox 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway.,The Norwegian Environment Agency, P.O. Box 5672 Sluppen, N-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ole-Gunnar Støen
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Postbox 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Jon E Swenson
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Postbox 5003, NO-1432 Ås, Norway.,The Norwegian Environment Agency, P.O. Box 5672 Sluppen, N-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Petter Wabakken
- Faculty of Applied Ecology and Agricultural Sciences, Hedmark University College, Evenstad, NO-2480, Koppang, Norway
| | | | - Stephen Herrero
- Faculty of Environmental Design, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2T 2Y2
| | - José Vicente López-Bao
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UMIB, UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University-Campus Mieres, 33600 Mieres, Spain.,Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 73091 Riddarhyttan, Sweden
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7
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Dietrichs ES. Rovdyrangrep i Norge. TIDSSKRIFT FOR DEN NORSKE LEGEFORENING 2016; 136:1236-8. [DOI: 10.4045/tidsskr.16.0341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
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8
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Gustafsson T, Eriksson A. Fatal Eurasian Brown Bear Attacks-Two Swedish Fatalities in Modern Times. J Forensic Sci 2015; 60:1658-61. [DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2014] [Revised: 11/25/2014] [Accepted: 12/01/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Torfinn Gustafsson
- Section of Forensic Medicine; Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation; Umeå University; P.O. Box 7616 SE-907 12 Umeå Sweden
| | - Anders Eriksson
- Section of Forensic Medicine; Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation; Umeå University; P.O. Box 7616 SE-907 12 Umeå Sweden
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9
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Sahlén V, Ordiz A, Swenson JE, Støen OG. Behavioural differences between single scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos) and females with dependent young when experimentally approached by humans. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121576. [PMID: 25830333 PMCID: PMC4382168 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Carnivore-human encounters that result in human injury present a conservation and management challenge and it is therefore important to understand under what conditions such incidents occur. Females with cubs are often involved when humans are injured by brown bears Ursus arctos. In Scandinavia, this is particularly true for unarmed recreational forest users. Our aim was to document behavioural differences between single bears and females with cubs in order to develop recommendations to minimize the risk of injuries to recreational forest users. We documented the reactions of GPS-collared females with cubs and single brown bears to experimental approaches by humans to 50 m from the bear on 42 and 108 occasions, respectively. The majority of females with cubs (95%) and single bears (89%) left when approached. Bears that left were passed at shorter distances and were in more open areas than those that stayed. Both groups had similar flight initiation distances, which were longer for bears that were active at the time of the disturbance. Females with cubs selected more open habitat than single bears, also for the new site they selected following disturbance. Females with cubs, particularly active females with cubs of the year, moved greater distances and spent more time active following the approach. Females with cubs and single bears were seen or heard in 26% and 14% of the approaches, respectively. None of the bears displayed any aggressive behaviour during the approaches. Females with cubs selected more open habitat, perhaps predisposing them to encountering people that are not involved in hunting activities, which might be the primary explanation why females with cubs are most frequently involved when unarmed people are injured by bears in Scandinavia. To mitigate injury risks, one must consider factors that bring bears closer to human activity in the first place.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Sahlén
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Andrés Ordiz
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
- Grimsö Wildlife Research Station, Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Riddarhyttan, Sweden
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Ole Gunnar Støen
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
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10
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Traumatologie und gewaltsamer Tod. Rechtsmedizin (Berl) 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-662-43500-7_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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11
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Wolf BC, Harding BE. Fatalities Due to Indigenous and Exotic Species in Florida. J Forensic Sci 2013; 59:155-60. [DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2012] [Revised: 08/13/2012] [Accepted: 10/24/2012] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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12
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Moen GK, Støen OG, Sahlén V, Swenson JE. Behaviour of solitary adult Scandinavian brown bears (Ursus arctos) when approached by humans on foot. PLoS One 2012; 7:e31699. [PMID: 22363710 PMCID: PMC3282762 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0031699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2011] [Accepted: 01/17/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Successful management has brought the Scandinavian brown bear (Ursus arctos L.) back from the brink of extinction, but as the population grows and expands the probability of bear-human encounters increases. More people express concerns about spending time in the forest, because of the possibility of encountering bears, and acceptance for the bear is decreasing. In this context, reliable information about the bear's normal behaviour during bear-human encounters is important. Here we describe the behaviour of brown bears when encountering humans on foot. During 2006-2009, we approached 30 adult (21 females, 9 males) GPS-collared bears 169 times during midday, using 1-minute positioning before, during and after the approach. Observer movements were registered with a handheld GPS. The approaches started 869±348 m from the bears, with the wind towards the bear when passing it at approximately 50 m. The bears were detected in 15% of the approaches, and none of the bears displayed any aggressive behaviour. Most bears (80%) left the initial site during the approach, going away from the observers, whereas some remained at the initial site after being approached (20%). Young bears left more often than older bears, possibly due to differences in experience, but the difference between ages decreased during the berry season compared to the pre-berry season. The flight initiation distance was longer for active bears (115±94 m) than passive bears (69±47 m), and was further affected by horizontal vegetation cover and the bear's age. Our findings show that bears try to avoid confrontations with humans on foot, and support the conclusions of earlier studies that the Scandinavian brown bear is normally not aggressive during encounters with humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gro Kvelprud Moen
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Ole-Gunnar Støen
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
- * E-mail:
| | - Veronica Sahlén
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Jon E. Swenson
- Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim, Norway
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14
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Bury D, Langlois N, Byard RW. Animal-related fatalities--part I: characteristic autopsy findings and variable causes of death associated with blunt and sharp trauma. J Forensic Sci 2011; 57:370-4. [PMID: 21981339 DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01921.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Animals may be responsible for an array of potentially lethal injuries. Blunt force injuries characteristically involve larger animals such as cattle or horses that may kick, crush, or trample a victim causing head and facial injuries. Farm workers in particular are at high risk of lethal injuries involving the head and torso. Significant blunt trauma may be found in vehicle occupants after collisions with large animals such as camels or moose. Rarely, zookeepers may be crushed by particularly massive animals such as elephants. Sharp force injuries usually involve carnivore bites, most often from dogs with a "hole and tear" pattern of wounding. Injuries from animals such as alligators and sharks may have a significant component of crushing. Incised wounds may result in death from exsanguination and air embolism. On occasion, blunt or sharp trauma from animal activity may be confused with postmortem damage or with inflicted injury from an assault.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Bury
- Forensic Science SA, 21 Divett Place, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
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Abstract
We present a unique case of death due to the assault and bites of a donkey on a 65-year-old man. The farmer, found dead in his farmyard, had a very deep wound in the anterior region of the neck, with a sharp transection of the trachea and severe bleeding by several minor vessels wall disruptions. The cause of death was established to be massive bleeding combined with asphyxia due to aspiration of the blood. Moreover, multiple contusions with associated skin abrasions and perforations were present. The general impression of the injuries was consistent with an animal's bite marks. Herbivorous or omnivorous bite attacks on humans are rare; instead, these animals attack by kicking, trampling, and kneeling, resulting in secondary blunt injuries. The donkey is usually a docile animal, but its behavior can be aggressive during the mating season, and the possibility of biting should not be underestimated, as illustrated by the 2 cases published previously as well as by the case presented here.
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16
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Abstract
The microbiology of animal bite wound infections in humans is often polymicrobial, with a broad mixture of aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms. Bacteria recovered from infected bite wounds are most often reflective of the oral flora of the biting animal, which can also be influenced by the microbiome of their ingested prey and other foods. Bacteria may also originate from the victim's own skin or the physical environment at the time of injury. Our review has focused on bite wound infections in humans from dogs, cats, and a variety of other animals such as monkeys, bears, pigs, ferrets, horses, sheep, Tasmanian devils, snakes, Komodo dragons, monitor lizards, iguanas, alligators/crocodiles, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, prairie dogs, swans, and sharks. The medical literature in this area has been made up mostly of small case series or case reports. Very few studies have been systematic and are often limited to dog or cat bite injuries. Limitations of studies include a lack of established or inconsistent criteria for an infected wound and a failure to utilize optimal techniques in pathogen isolation, especially for anaerobic organisms. There is also a lack of an understanding of the pathogenic significance of all cultured organisms. Gathering information and conducting research in a more systematic and methodical fashion through an organized research network, including zoos, veterinary practices, and rural clinics and hospitals, are needed to better define the microbiology of animal bite wound infections in humans.
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Mihailovic Z, Savic S, Damjanjuk I, Stanojevic A, Milosevic M. A case of a fatal Himalayan black bear attack in the zoo. J Forensic Sci 2011; 56:806-9. [PMID: 21361947 DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2011.01721.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We present a case of a 22-year-old male, who was found inside the cage of Himalayan black bears in the Belgrade Zoo. The victim attended the Belgrade Beer festival the previous night, drinking a lot of beer and acting aggressively. A medico-legal autopsy was performed at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Belgrade. Autopsy findings showed numerous excoriations all over the body surrounded by bruises, as well as spindle-shaped, oval, and partly irregular wounds of variable size, large defects of skin and subcutaneous soft tissue, fractures of the thyroid and cricoid cartilage, and fracture of ribs. Postmortem toxicological analysis revealed the presence of ethanol in vitreous humor and urine and 11-nor Δ9 tetrahydrocannabinolic acid found in the urine. We discussed similar cases from the available literature in different regions of the world. In conclusion, we pointed out that the presented case does not follow the general pattern of Himalayan bear attacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zoran Mihailovic
- Institute of Forensic Medicine Milovan Milovanovic, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Deligradska 31a, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia.
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18
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Ambarlı H, Bilgin CC. Human–Brown Bear Conflicts in Artvin, Northeastern Turkey: Encounters, Damage, and Attitudes. URSUS 2008. [DOI: 10.2192/1537-6176-19.2.146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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