Wildlife rehabilitation restores injured and orphaned wild animals to health, but successful release requires careful welfare assessment and gradual reintroduction to wild conditions.
Wildlife rehabilitation sits at the intersection of emergency welfare intervention and conservation concern. Animals brought to rehabilitation facilities often suffer from acute pain and stress from their injuries. However, prolonged captivity also carries welfare costs including captivity-induced stress, loss of natural behaviors, and human habituation. High-quality rehabilitation minimizes handling stress, provides species-appropriate diet and social conditions, and uses progressive pre-release preparation to maximize both welfare during rehabilitation and survival after release.