Cougar attacks on humans in the United States and Canada

Beier compiled and analysed records of cougar (puma) attacks on people across the United States and Canada through the twentieth century, providing the first systematic quantification of a rare but feared phenomenon. He documented the locations, circumstances, victim profiles, with children especially represented, and outcomes of attacks, and examined whether attack frequency had risen with expanding human recreation in cougar habitat. Beier offered guidance on reducing risk and responding to encounters. The study established a factual baseline that counters exaggeration, showing attacks are uncommon yet not negligible, and it remains the foundational reference for understanding and communicating cougar-attack risk in North America.