A Unique Fatal Moose Attack Mimicking Homicide

Sammanfattning

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.

Nyckelord

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

Publicerad i

Journal of Forensic Sciences
2018, volym: 63, nummer: 2, sidor: 622-625
Utgivare: WILEY

SLU författare

• Ericsson, Göran

  • Institutionen för vilt, fisk och miljö, Sveriges lantbruksuniversitet
    

UKÄ forskningsämne

Rättsmedicin

Publikationens identifierare

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

Permanent länk till denna sida (URI)

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