Citation

Perrone C, Byard RW, Solarino B, Vinci F. Forensic Sci. Med. Pathol. 2020; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s12024-020-00250-3

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Lethal injuries due to large animal attack are uncommon in routine forensic practice in Europe. Specifically, few incidents are reported concerning tiger/lion attacks that usually involve captive circus or zoo animals. We present the case of a 61-year old animal tamer who was mauled to death by four tigers while he was training them for a circus performance. Careful investigation of the circumstances surrounding the fatality revealed that the tamer had most likely been struck with a tiger paw and then mauled by additional tigers resulting in serious and fatal injuries. Although a full medico-legal autopsy was not authorized, total body CT scan coupled with post-mortem external examination allowed a reconstruction of events.

Language: en

Keywords

Feline injuries; Tiger attack: Polytrauma: Bite marks