79
Chapter 19
WILD LAND ANIMAL ATTACKS
Recommendations are considered Category 1B by the WMS Panel of Expert Reviewers.
I. GENERAL INFORMATION
Although few truly large and wild animals remain in the contiguous United States,
injuries from attacks by alligators, bison, bears and cougars (mountain lions) occur
annually. In Alaska and overseas, wild animal attacks are a more significant cause of
morbidity and mortality. Many of these involve predation by the big cats or by bears, but
other species such as elephant, rhinoceros, wild pig or hippopotamus also attack humans.
Injuries from large wild animal attack result from a variety of mechanisms
including biting, clawing, chewing, goring, tossing or trampling. As a result the victim
often sustains major trauma far beyond a simple bite, involving multiple organ systems
and locations. Wounds are frequently contaminated with oral or soil pathogens.
Rabies should be considered a possibility after a bite or mucous membrane
contact with any suspicious animal (see below).
A. Wild Cats: Wild cats spring from behind to attack the neck of their prey, sometimes
crushing the trachea or sharply hyperextending the neck to fracture the cervical spine and
transect the spinal cord and great vessels with their teeth.
B. Horned Animals: Goring injuries from animals such as bull, American buffalo, bison,
elephant or rhinoceros produce deep puncture wounds. These may rip along fascial
planes or penetrate deeply, and evisceration is not uncommon. Trampling or tossing by
these animals also results in blunt trauma to the victim.
C. Bears: Bears of all types claw, bite, crush and tear their victims. Attacks are often
aimed preferentially at the head, with extensive facial injuries and scalping. Chewing on
extremities is also frequently described.
D. Alligators/Crocodiles: These animals tend to drown their victims before feeding on
them. Victims who escape incur bite/puncture wounds that invariably become infected
without treatment.
II. PREVENTION
For all wild animal attacks, prevention can be summarized as "Don't get too close: Stay
out of the way." Approaching animals too closely while photographing is particularly
risky. Alertness and awareness of the animal habitat during wilderness travel will prevent
many encounters. Travel and camp using techniques to avoid close contact with wild
animals, e.g., avoid obvious large animal paths, avoid areas dotted with fresh scat, do not
sleep with food or other aromatic substances, store food and scented objects in portable
or on-site bear canisters, or hang food well above ground and away from tents. There is
safety in numbers. Group travel, therefore, is safer than solo travel.
