Wild Animal Ethics: Our Obligations to Nature

Philosophical frameworks for wild animal ethics are developing to address our moral obligations toward wild animals experiencing natural suffering.

Key Facts

Wild animal welfare has historically been excluded from mainstream animal ethics
The wild animal suffering problem was articulated by philosophers including Bryan Tomasik
Some philosophers argue we have positive obligations to reduce preventable wild animal suffering
Others argue non-intervention is the appropriate default given uncertainty about outcomes
Practical interventions exist including disease control and fertility management

Welfare Considerations

Wild animal ethics challenges us to take seriously the suffering of animals in natural settings without falling into either paternalistic intervention that causes more harm than good or callous indifference to suffering that we could reduce. Developing robust ethical frameworks that guide when and how to intervene to reduce wild animal suffering, while respecting ecological systems, is an important frontier in animal ethics. The scale of wild animal suffering makes this philosophically urgent.

What You Can Do

Engage with wild animal welfare philosophy and ethical frameworks
Support research into tractable interventions to reduce wild animal suffering
Apply ethical reasoning to wildlife management decisions in your community
Donate to organizations researching wild animal welfare and ethical frameworks for intervention