Research overview: early-warning systems and real-time alerts in big-cat conflict

This overview reviews technological and community early-warning systems designed to alert people to the presence of big cats before conflict occurs. It synthesises approaches including GPS- and geofence-collared predators triggering SMS alerts to herders, camera-trap and sensor networks, sirens, and community informant chains, drawing on lion, tiger, and leopard programs. The literature assesses evidence that timely warnings let people secure livestock and avoid risky areas, alongside limitations of cost, coverage, collaring few individuals, false alarms, and habituation. The survey frames early-warning systems as a fast-developing frontier that leverages technology and community networks to shift conflict management from reactive to anticipatory, though rigorous effectiveness data remain limited.