Wolf reintroduction programmes in Europe and North America have achieved conservation successes but raise welfare questions about both wolves and the livestock affected by predation.
Wolf reintroduction creates welfare trade-offs that require careful management. Wild wolves live complex social lives in packs and generally have high welfare when populations are ecologically established. However, management culling of wolves in conflict situations causes pack disruption with secondary welfare consequences for surviving pack members. Livestock predation causes fear and injury to prey animals. Supporting effective non-lethal deterrent programmes addresses both livestock welfare and wolf welfare by reducing the need for lethal management responses.