Call of the Wild: A Content Analysis of Risk Communication Related to Human-Wildlife Interaction Published to Social Media Accounts of National Parks in Texas and New Mexico

Keep wildlife wild! This is a sentiment we often hear in national parks, where the high traffic of visitors often finds them interacting with the wildlife species that call these parks home. However, improper interactions can lead to damaged habitats, reckless behavior, an increased risk of injury, or even death of humans or wildlife species alike. It is critical national parks implement risk communication related to human-wildlife interaction in their messaging to help mitigate such interaction. This study served to uncover and analyze how frequently, in what forms, and with what contexts national parks in Texas and New Mexico communicate wildlife-centric risk communication on their social media platforms. Determining this was done by conducting a content analysis of posts on social media platforms belonging to four national parks: Carlsbad Caverns, White Sands, Big Bend, and Guadalupe Mountains. Every post that involved the subject of human-wildlife interaction published by these parks to Facebook, Instagram, or X between January 2021 and December 2024 were catalogued. Logistical information for each of these posts including the date they were shared and the engagement metrics they received were recorded. Additionally, each post was coded for its primary content format, dominant visual element, implemented frame, and adopted tone. Totals and averages were calculated accordingly for each respective metric and coded content category. Analysis of these findings revealed these four national parks are actively sharing risk communication related to human-wildlife interaction to their social media audiences. Most of the parks are doing so at an increased rate with each passing year, while Facebook and Instagram are similarly being implemented more with each year. Images dominate the type of content being shared, and video isn’t utilized as much as the research team expected it to be. Content on Instagram received higher rates of reactions, while content on Facebook received higher rates of comments. Frames of Wildlife Education and Human Safety were most prominent around identified content, while most content adopted a formal non-humorous tone. Humor was not implemented in content at a high rate. This study helped identify patterns in social media strategies that these national parks use to share wildlife risk communication to their audiences. It is recommended these parks share a more diverse range of content, as well as use different platforms at a higher rate with more consistency. Incorporating video content and communication with a humorous tone especially would help strengthen their social media strategies. Future research should replicate research across parks in varying regions nationwide. Additionally, research exploring how this type of risk communication influences audience behaviors when visiting national parks could reveal how effective messaging is in shaping risk perceptions. Doing so will help protect the interests and safety of national park visitors and wildlife species alike, and ensure national parks remain the premiere destination for enjoying America’s most valuable natural resources.