A Unique Fatal Moose Attack Mimicking Homicide

Abstract

Fatalities caused by animal attacks are rare, but have the potential to mimic homicide. We present a case in which a moose attacked and killed a woman who was walking her dog in a forest. Autopsy showed widespread blunt trauma with a large laceration on one leg in which blades of grass were embedded. Flail chest was the cause of death. The case was initially conceived as homicide by means of a riding lawn mower. A review of the case by moose experts and analyses of biological trace material that proved to originate from moose, established the true source of injury. The dog probably provoked a moose, which, in response, stomped and gored the victim to death. The injuries resembled those previously reported from attacks by cattle and water buffalo. Fatal moose attacks constitute an extremely rare threat in boreal areas, but can be considered in traumatic deaths of unknown cause.

Keywords

forensic science; forensic pathology; traumatic death; animal attack; moose

Published in

Journal of Forensic Sciences
2018, volume: 63, number: 2, pages: 622-625
Publisher: WILEY

SLU Authors

• Ericsson, Göran

  • Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Forensic Science

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.13579

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/94544