Starvation is one of the most common and prolonged causes of suffering in wild animal populations.
Starvation is one of the most widespread sources of wild animal suffering and one of the most difficult to address. It affects the vast majority of juvenile wild animals, who die before reproducing in most species. It is a prolonged process — starvation can take days to weeks, involving suffering from hunger, cold, weakness, and ultimately organ failure. As climate change disrupts food availability and migration timing, starvation events are increasing. The wild animal welfare field is grappling with whether and how to intervene in wild animal starvation while respecting ecological complexity.