The emerging field of wild animal welfare science is identifying research priorities to understand and reduce suffering in free-living animals.
Wild animals face a range of welfare challenges that were historically considered beyond human responsibility to address. The wild animal welfare field examines whether interventions that reduce natural suffering, such as disease treatment, contraception to prevent population overcrowding, and habitat management, are ethically justified and practically feasible. Establishing research priorities and evidence bases for potential interventions is the foundational work required before policy or practice changes.