Research overview: puma attack risk and public risk communication

This overview synthesises research on the rare but high-profile risk of puma attacks on people in North America and how agencies communicate that risk. It reviews analyses of attack circumstances, the overrepresentation of children and lone recreationists, behavioural advice (do not run, appear large, fight back), and the tension between public fear and the statistical rarity of attacks. The literature examines how media coverage amplifies perceived risk, how risk communication can either calm or inflame public reaction, and how managers balance safety with conservation. The survey frames effective, evidence-based risk communication as central to maintaining public tolerance for pumas as their range overlaps growing exurban populations.