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The Agency recently examined fatalities related to encounters with wild and domesticated animals in the province. Between 1969 and 1997, there were 133 fatalities in B.C. caused by encounters with animals. The victim of an animal-caused death was 2.5 times more likely to be male, most frequently between the ages of 15 to 24. There was a seasonal pattern to these deaths in that 80% of them occurred in the six months from May to October, with the peak in August (29 deaths).

Fatalities related to wildlife: The accompanying map details the geographical distribution of the 67 deaths associated with encounters with bear, cougar, moose, deer, bees/wasps and snakes.

• Bear and moose were each involved in 19 fatalities.

• The next most lethal 'animal' was the bee or wasp, responsible for a total of 16 deaths due to anaphylactic reactions to stings.

Fatalities related to domesticated animals: There were 66 deaths resulting from human interaction with domesticated animals including horses, cattle, mules and dogs.

• The horse was the most dangerous domesticated animal; horses were involved in 47 deaths, the greatest number of deaths associated with any animal in this study, domesticated or wild.

• Cows and steers caused the next greatest number of deaths, with a total of 6 fatalities.

Animal caused motor vehicle accidents: An unexpected commonality among animal-related fatalities was the occurrence of fatal MVAs as the result of encountering animals while operating a motor vehicle or motorcycle. Between 1969 and 1997, fifty (38%) of the 133 fatalities examined were MVA involving animals.

• On average 2 people per year die on B.C. roads and highways because of animals.

• Moose were the single greatest cause of animal caused MVAs. Every one of the 19 moose-related deaths in this study was the result of a MVA. Eight out of every 10 of these deaths occurred on Highways 16 and 97 in the vicinity of Prince George, Smithers and Terrace (see map).

• There were 16 MVAs which involved horses on the road, either loose or being ridden.

Source: R. Armour and J. Macdonald. "Animal Caused Fatalities, British Columbia, 1969-1997."
Quarterly Digest 8 (1 & 2), December, 1998. This article is also on the Agency website at
http://www.hlth.gov.bc.ca/vs/stats/quarter/index.html

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