Stampede: Difference between revisions
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Sometimes humans purposefully induce cattle to stampede as a component of [[warfare]] or [[hunting]]{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}, such as some [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]], who were known to provoke [[American bison]] herds to stampede off a [[buffalo jump]] for hunting purposes, and harvest the animals after they are killed or incapacitated by the fall. |
Sometimes humans purposefully induce cattle to stampede as a component of [[warfare]] or [[hunting]]{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}, such as some [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]], who were known to provoke [[American bison]] herds to stampede off a [[buffalo jump]] for hunting purposes, and harvest the animals after they are killed or incapacitated by the fall. |
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== Human stampedes and crushes <span class="anchor" id=""Human stampedes" and crushes"></span> == |
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== Human stampedes and crushes == |
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{{main|Crowd collapses and crushes}} |
{{main|Crowd collapses and crushes}} |
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{{Quote box|If you look at the analysis, I've not seen any instances of the cause of mass fatalities being a stampede. People don't die because they panic. They panic because they are dying. |author= Keith Still, professor of crowd science at [[Manchester Metropolitan University]]<ref name=Benedictus3Oct /> |
{{Quote box|If you look at the analysis, I've not seen any instances of the cause of mass fatalities being a stampede. People don't die because they panic. They panic because they are dying. |author= Keith Still, professor of crowd science at [[Manchester Metropolitan University]]<ref name=Benedictus3Oct /> |
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Revision as of 17:20, 16 May 2023
A stampede (/stæmˈpiːd/)[1] is a situation in which a group of large animals suddenly start running in the same direction, especially because they are excited or frightened. Non-human species associated with stampede behavior include horses, cattle, elephants, reindeer, sheep, pigs, goats, zebras, wildebeests, walruses,[2] and rhinoceroses.
Cattle stampedes
The animal behavior of stampeding was first noticed by cattle ranchers and cowboys in the American Wild West. Large herds of cattle would be managed across wide-open plains, with no fences to contain them. In these unbounded spaces, cattle were able to run freely, and sometimes the whole herd would take off in the same direction unexpectedly. Cowboys developed techniques to deal with this situation and calm the cattle, to stop the stampede and regain control of their herd.[3][4] The term "stampede" came from the Mexican Spanish term estampida ('an uproar').[5]
Cattle herds tended to be nervous, and any unusual occurrence, particularly a sudden or unexpected noise, could scare the cattle and kick off a stampede. Things such as a gunshot, a lightning strike, a clap of thunder, someone jumping off a horse, a horse shaking itself, or even a tumbleweed being blown into the herd have been known to cause stampedes.[6][3][4]
One way cowboys would stop a stampede was to attempt to turn the moving herd into itself so that it runs in wide circles, rather than running off a cliff or into a river. The circle could be made smaller and smaller, eventually forcing the herd to slow down due to lack of space in which to run. Tactics used to make the herd turn into itself include firing a pistol, which creates noise to make the leaders of the stampede turn.[3][4][6][7]
Animals who stampede, especially cattle, are less likely to do so after having eaten and watered, and if they are spread out in smaller groups to digest.[6][7] To further reduce the risk of stampedes, cowboys sometimes sing or whistle to calm the herds disquieted by nightfall.[3] Those on watch at night avoid doing things which could startle the herd and even distance themselves before dismounting a horse or lighting a match.[8]
Sometimes humans purposefully induce cattle to stampede as a component of warfare or hunting[citation needed], such as some Native Americans, who were known to provoke American bison herds to stampede off a buffalo jump for hunting purposes, and harvest the animals after they are killed or incapacitated by the fall.
Human stampedes and crushes
If you look at the analysis, I've not seen any instances of the cause of mass fatalities being a stampede. People don't die because they panic. They panic because they are dying.
... far from mass panic occurring, being in an emergency can create a common identity among those affected. A consequence of this is that people are cooperative and altruistic towards others – even when among strangers, and/or in life–threatening situations.[10]
Whereas "crowd crushes" often occur during events where a large number of people are moving forward, such as entertainment events or religious pilgrimages[11][12], "human stampedes" occur as people try to get away from a perceived danger, as in a case where a noxious gas was released in crowded premises.[13]
While media reports often talk of "panic", research has found that mass panic is rare;[14] on the contrary, people continue to help each other at the risk of their lives.[15][10] The scientific consensus is that true "human stampedes" and "panics" rarely occur except when many people are fleeing in fear, such as from a fire,[15] and trampling by people in such "stampede" conditions rarely causes fatal injuries unless egress is impeded.[9] In most cases, the more appropriate term would be crush or crowd collapse, not "stampede".[9]
Stampede is not only an incorrect term, it is a loaded word, as it assigns blame to the victims for behaving in an irrational, self-destructive, unthinking and uncaring manner, it's pure ignorance, and laziness [...] It gives the impression that it was a mindless crowd only caring about themselves, and they were prepared to crush people.
In virtually all these situations, this is not the case, and it is usually the authorities to blame for poor planning, poor design, poor control, poor policing and mismanagement.
The truth is that people are only directly crushed by others who have no choice in the matter, and the people who can choose don't know what is going on because they're too far away from the epicentre.
— Edwin Galea, professor of fire safety engineering at the University of Greenwich, England[16]
In popular culture
- Kimba The White Lion (1965): In episode 39 Running Wild, a stampede of antelopes is the main problem for the protagonists to solve.
- The Lion King (1994) and its 2019 remake both include a stampede of wildebeests.
See also
References
- ^ stampede 1 (noun). Oxford University Press. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
{{cite encyclopedia}}:|website=ignored (help) - ^ "3,000 walruses die in stampede tied to climate". NBC News. Associated Press. 14 December 2007. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ a b c d "Cowboys and Cattle Drives" (PDF). The Core Knowledge Foundation. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ a b c "The Cattle Drive and Westward Expansion". National Agriculture in the Classroom. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ "stampede". Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ a b c Fay E. Ward, The cowboy at work, Courier Dover Publications, 2003, ISBN 0-486-42699-8 p. 28
- ^ a b Welch, Bob (2015-03-05). "Cowboy Up: Stop a stampede". American Cowboy. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
- ^ Fay E. Ward, The cowboy at work, Courier Dover Publications, 2003, ISBN 0-486-42699-8 p. 31
- ^ a b c Benedictus, Leo (3 October 2015). "Hajj crush: how crowd disasters happen, and how they can be avoided". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- ^ a b Cocking, Christopher; Drury, John; Reicher, Steve (November 2012). "The psychology of crowd behaviour in emergency evacuations: Results from two interview studies and implications for the Fire and Rescue Services". Irish Journal of Psychology. 30 (1): 59–73. doi:10.1080/03033910.2009.10446298.
- ^ Illiyas, F.T.; Mani, S.K.; Pradeepkumar, A.P.; Mohan, K. (2013). "Human stampedes during religious festivals: A comparative review of mass gathering emergencies in India". International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. 5: 10–18. doi:10.1016/j.ijdrr.2013.09.003.
- ^ Benedictus, Leo (3 October 2015). "Hajj crush: how crowd disasters happen, and how they can be avoided". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 2 July 2019. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
- ^ "Updated - Paceville crush: Man arrested for letting off gas spray; heated exchanges in Parliament; dramatic video". Times of Malta. 16 November 2015.
- ^ Ro, Christine (21 March 2018). "The secret science that rules crowds". BBC Future. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
- ^ a b Seabrook, John (February 7, 2011). "Crush Point". The New Yorker.
- ^ Lock, Samantha (1 November 2022). "Crowd crushes: how disasters like Itaewon happen, how can they be prevented, and the 'stampede' myth". The Guardian.