White storks were once widespread across Europe but have declined dramatically due to habitat loss, pesticide use, and changes in agricultural practices. Individual welfare is compromised by reduced prey availability and hazardous infrastructure.
Stork welfare harms arise from changes in their environment that affect both individual survival and the distress of unsuccessful breeding attempts. Electrocution causes sudden traumatic death but also leaves injured survivors unable to fly or feed. Reduced prey from pesticide use and wetland drainage causes nutritional stress during breeding — adults unable to find enough food for chicks may abandon nests, and abandoned chicks die from starvation. Reintroduction of storks into improved habitats requires careful welfare consideration: captive-reared birds must be behaviorally prepared for wild conditions. Power line modification with insulating covers is a cost-effective intervention that directly reduces one of the leading causes of stork mortality.