Prey animals killed by predators experience fear and pain during attacks, raising philosophical and practical questions about predator-prey welfare.
Prey animals killed by predators experience real suffering including fear during pursuit and pain during attacks. While predation is natural and ecologically important, the suffering involved is genuine. Some welfare advocates argue this is morally relevant, while others maintain that natural suffering falls outside human moral responsibility. The emerging field of welfare biology is beginning to address wild animal suffering more systematically.