Bullfighting is a deeply rooted cultural spectacle in several countries, particularly Spain and parts of Latin America. These events involve human participants interacting with fighting bulls in an arena, a practice that carries inherent risks for both people and animals. The spectacle is characterized by a series of structured acts, culminating in the bull’s death. While celebrated by some, this tradition involves significant dangers.
Risks and Causes of Human Fatalities
Human participants in bullfighting face considerable dangers, with fatal injuries primarily stemming from gorings, falls, and crushing by the powerful animals. Gorings are a common cause of severe injury, often impacting areas such as the femoral artery, heart, or lungs, leading to rapid blood loss and organ damage.
Matadors, the primary performers, are particularly susceptible to these injuries due to their close proximity and direct engagement with the bull. They often employ a daring style, getting very close to the bull, which increases their risk. Picadors, who lance the bull from horseback, and banderilleros, who place barbed sticks into the bull’s shoulders, also face risks, though fatalities are less frequent for these roles compared to matadors.
Historically, human deaths in bullfighting have occurred, with 534 professional bullfighters reportedly dying in the ring or from related injuries over the past three centuries. While advances in medical techniques and antibiotics have made fatalities less common today, serious injuries remain frequent. For instance, in 2022, the “Running of the Bulls” in Pamplona resulted in at least 29 human injuries, including four gorings, and in 2023, eight people died from bull-related incidents in Spain.
The Inevitable End for the Bull
The bull’s death is an integral part of the traditional bullfighting spectacle. Each year, thousands of bulls are killed in bullfights. The process involves several stages designed to weaken the bull before the final act.
Initially, picadors on horseback use lances to pierce the bull’s neck muscles, causing blood loss and impairing its ability to lift its head. Following this, banderilleros on foot place barbed darts into the bull’s shoulders, further weakening the animal and causing additional blood loss. These actions prepare the bull for the matador’s final thrust.
The matador then attempts to deliver the fatal blow, known as the estocada, by thrusting a sword into a small opening between the bull’s shoulder blades and neck. This maneuver aims to sever the aorta, ideally resulting in a swift death. If the initial sword thrust is not immediately fatal, an executioner may use a dagger to sever the bull’s spinal cord, ensuring death. After the bull is killed, its carcass is typically dragged from the arena, and the meat is often sold.