Human-wildlife conflict results in the killing of millions of animals annually, with alternative mitigation measures offering welfare-sparing solutions in many contexts.
Retaliatory killing of wildlife following livestock attacks causes welfare harm through shooting, poisoning, and snaring, with methods often chosen for accessibility rather than humaneness. Even targeted killing disrupts social groups, orphans young animals, and removes individuals with crucial ecological roles. Non-lethal deterrents including electric fencing, guardian animals, and livestock herding practices prevent attacks without wildlife mortality, often at lower long-term cost than ongoing lethal control programs.