Rewilding as an Animal Welfare Strategy

Large-scale rewilding projects restore ecosystems and create conditions for sustained animal welfare improvement across species.

Key Facts

The Knepp Estate in West Sussex has hosted the return of rare species including purple emperor butterflies and turtle doves after rewilding
Rewilded land supports higher invertebrate and vertebrate diversity within 5-10 years
Key rewilding species include beavers, wild boar, wolves, lynx, and large grazing animals
Rewilded ecosystems require less active management, reducing costs over time
Scotland's Native Woodland Survey shows rewilded forests recover natural insect communities within a decade

Welfare Considerations

Rewilding is fundamentally a welfare intervention at ecosystem scale. Wild animals in functioning ecosystems — with appropriate predator-prey dynamics, diverse habitat structures, and abundant food — generally have better welfare than those in degraded landscapes. They can express natural behaviours, form natural social groups, and avoid chronic stressors caused by habitat simplification. Large-scale rewilding at Knepp and elsewhere shows that rapid recovery of both species diversity and wildlife welfare is achievable on agricultural land. Supporting rewilding is a high-leverage animal welfare action.

What You Can Do

Support rewilding organisations including Rewilding Britain and Rewilding Europe
Advocate for rewilding in upland land use policy discussions
Learn about the ecological and welfare benefits of beaver reintroduction
Oppose badger culling programmes in favour of evidence-based bovine TB solutions
Visit rewilded sites to understand landscape-scale wildlife recovery firsthand