Rewilding projects involving the reintroduction of large carnivores including lynx and wolves raise both conservation and welfare questions for the animals involved.
Reintroduction welfare considerations include capture and transport stress, adaptation to new environments, social disruption from separating individuals from their source populations, and mortality risk. Successful reintroductions prioritise family group translocation where possible, minimise handling time, provide soft release with supplementary feeding, and monitor intensively. Individual welfare and population conservation goals must both be considered.