Understanding predator-prey dynamics is essential for wild animal welfare assessment, as predation is a major source of suffering in nature that conservation decisions can influence significantly.
Predator-prey dynamics present the most philosophically challenging aspect of wild animal welfare. Predation causes enormous quantities of suffering — the fear experienced by prey during pursuit, the injuries from failed attacks, and the pain of being killed. These harms occur regardless of human action. Conservation decisions about predator reintroduction, predator control and prey population management all affect the balance of wild animal suffering in ways that are rarely considered through a welfare lens. An honest welfare analysis of rewilding must grapple with whether increasing predator populations, which may have ecosystem benefits, increases total animal suffering in the system.