Cause of death in 2003
Number of deaths per year
One-year odds
Lifetime odds
Captive non-human primate
0*
0
0
Captive bear
0.125**
1 in 2,416,000,000
1 in 32,000,000
Captive elephant
0.81**
378,000,000
5,000,000
Captive big/exotic cat
1**
302,000,000
4,000,000
Captive reptile
1.5***
201,000,000
2,700,000
Fireworks discharge
11
26,440,910
340,733
Contact with hot tap-water
26
11,186,539
144,156
Flood
26
11,186,539
144,156
Bitten or struck by dog
32
9,089,063
117,127
Earthquake and other earth movements
32
9,089,063
117,127
Struck by or against another person
39
7,457,692
96,104
Lightning
47
6,188,298
79,746
Contact with hornets, wasps and bees
66
4,406,818
56,789
Cataclysmic storm (****)
75
3,878,000
49,974
Animal rider or occupant of animal-drawn vehicle
101
2,879,703
37,110
Alcohol
373
779,759
10,048
Fall on and from ladder or scaffolding
417
697,482
8,988
Drowning and submersion while in or falling into swimming pool
515
564,757
7,278
Firearms discharge
730
398,425
5,134
Air and space transport accidents
742
391,981
5,051
Occupant of all-terrain or other off-road motor vehicle
906
321,026
4,137
Drowning and submersion while in or falling into natural water
1225
237,429
3,060
Fall on and from stairs and steps
1,588
183,155
2,360
Exposure to smoke, fire and flames
3,369
86,331
1,113
Motorcycle riding
3,676
79,121
1,020
Assault by firearm
11,920
24,400
314
Motor vehicle accidents
44,757
6,498
84
Source: National Safety Council, National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. Census, animal attack news reports
*In 1997 in Atlanta, Georgia, one Yerkes primate researcher supposedly died of herpes B after she was splashed in the eye with bodily fluids from a rhesus macaque; this can NOT be classified as animal ‘attack’, just like a nurse or doctor being accidentally infected with a blood from an AIDS patients can not be called a murder.
** Based on 16 year average 1990-2006 numbers
*** Based on 11 year average 1995-2006 numbers
(****)Includes hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, dust storms and other cataclysmic storms.
Note: Exotic animal yearly and lifetime odds numbers were rounded due to their extremely large size for the ease of use and quoting purposes in the media and legislative sessions.
