Rewilding aims to restore natural ecological processes but raises important welfare questions for both reintroduced and resident animals.
Rewilding projects present complex welfare trade-offs. Reintroduced animals face novel environments, learning requirements, and predation risks not experienced in captivity. Predation of prey animals by reintroduced predators causes individual animal suffering even while beneficial for population and ecosystem health. These are genuine welfare considerations but must be weighed against the welfare benefits of natural behaviour expression, appropriate social groups, and freedom from chronic farming-related stressors.