Human injuries caused by wildlife fall into three basic categories: "A person can 1. Be bitten, clawed, gored, or attacked by wildlife; 2. Be injured in a collision between an animal and an automobile or airplane; or 3. Become ill from a disease or parasite which was passed along by a wildlife species."(39)

Animal Attacks on people fall into three basic categories: predatory attacks, territorial attacks, and defensive attacks. Because of their small size, "a high proportion of predatory attacks on humans are directed at children, who are especially at risk when alone and undefended."(40)

"About thirty people are attacked in North America annually by bears, primarily black bears…. Herrero concluded that 90% of the black bears that injured people had habituated to humans and had been conditioned to people’s food. Many of these attacks were defensive in nature. Black bears seeking food want to be left alone while they find and eat it. If they feel threatened by people trying to retrieve their food, protect their property, or just watch or photograph them, the bears may lash out. Such attacks are normally of short duration and end when the bear perceives that the threat has ended."(44)

"The probability of a visitor to a national park being injured by a bear during the 1980’s was: 328,000 visitors per injury in Denali; 629,000 visitors per injury in Yosemite; 763,000 visitors per injury in Glacier; 1,157,000 visitors per injury in Yellowstone; 2,561,000 visitors per injury in Great Smoky Mountain; 4,048,000 visitors per injury in Banff."(45)

"Baker and Timm (1998) reported that there were 53 coyote attacks on humans in California from 1988 to 1997, resulting in 21 human injuries."(49)

"There have been two wolf attacks on people in British Columbia, Canada during the 1990s. One was by a wolf accustomed to acquiring food from humans (Streetly 2000)…. During 1996, a healthy wolf attacked 76 children in Uttar Pradesh, India, and killed 50 of them."(49) A dubious claim considering that the antelope these wolves prey on have been extirpated from the area.

"During the last century, there have been 53 confirmed attacks on humans by cougars, resulting in 11 human deaths."(49)

"Worldwide, more people are injured by large herbivores than by large predators. In Yellowstone National Park, bison injure more people than cougars and bears."(51)

"Considering the large populations of humans and predators coexisting in the same areas, it is not surprising that large predators injure some people. What is really amazing is that so few people are attacked."(52)

"To minimize bear attacks, campers are urged to avoid camping near bear trails, seasonal feeding areas used by bears, or places where food or garbage has been left. Campers should also locate their cooking areas 100 m downwind of the tent, store food away from the camp in bear-proof containers, and locate their camp near a possible escape tree in grizzly bear country (Herrero, 1985)."(54)

"In his analysis of cougar attacks on people, Beier (1991) found that aggressive responses by people were effective in averting a cougar from making an imminent attack. Running away was particularly futile unless the person was only a few meters away from safety. Once an attack had begun, playing dead was not an effective defense, but several attacks terminated after the victims screamed; fought back with their bare hands, sticks, rocks, or knives; or someone else at the scene yelled or made an aggressive response."(54)

"For black bear attacks in campgrounds, along roads, or other places where bears have become habituated to people, the bear is probably attacking because the person has gotten too close and the bear wants more space or is trying to get at the food the person might have (Herrero 1985). In such situations, the victim should back away and give up the food. When confronted by a grizzly bear, Herrero (1985) recommended climbing at least 5 m up a tree if there is enough time or to watch the bear closely and respond to its actions but not to stare at it because the bear may interpret this as threatening. Dropping something while fleeing may distract the bear and provide enough time for escape."(54)

"Conover et al. (1995) estimated that the number of confirmed deer-vehicle collisions in the U.S. totaled 726,000 annually, based on dead deer found on the road, or collisions reported to state authorities…. The actual number of deer-vehicle collisions occurring annually in the U.S. is closer to 1.5 million."(54-55)

"Economics" pp. 91-124.

"damage from all collisions (involving automobiles and deer) is approximately $1.6 billion annually…. In addition to vehicle damage, approximately 29,000 people are injured and 200 people lose their lives yearly in deer-automobile accidents in the U.S."(102)

"Conover (1998) surveyed a random sample of 2000 farmers and ranchers and found that 80% had suffered wildlife damage in the prior year, and 53% reported that the damage exceeded their tolerance. Problems were caused most often by deer, raccoons, coyotes, and ground hogs…. 22% reported losses of less than $100, 45% between $100 and $999, 23% between $1000 and $4999, and 6% between $5,000 and $9999. Three percent said that their losses in the prior year exceeded $10,000. In addition, farmers and ranchers reported spending an average of 44 hours and $1000 in the prior year trying to prevent a wildlife problem…. despite spending 90 million hours and $2 billion trying to prevent wildlife problems, they still suffered $2 billion in damage annually."(107)