Large carnivores including wolves, bears, and mountain lions increasingly come into conflict with human activities, and how these conflicts are managed has profound welfare and conservation implications.
Large carnivore welfare is inseparable from human-wildlife coexistence. Carnivores killed in retaliation for livestock depredation suffer acute welfare harm from wounds, poisons, or traps, and their removal may disrupt pack or family social structures causing lasting suffering to survivors. Non-lethal deterrence programs that prevent conflict are therefore both welfare and conservation interventions. The challenge is economic — individual herders bear the costs of coexistence while the benefits accrue to broader society. Compensation programs and deterrence support can realign these incentives in ways that improve outcomes for both people and carnivores.