Rewilding programs are being evaluated for ecological outcomes, but welfare outcomes for both reintroduced and affected species deserve equal scrutiny. Integrated assessment enables better programs.
Rewilding welfare outcomes require assessing both reintroduced individual welfare and affected species welfare in the rewilded landscape. Reintroduced wolves, lynx, or bison may have excellent or poor post-release welfare depending on prey availability, territory quality, social group integrity, and human disturbance. The welfare of prey species including deer and elk changes when predators return — more vigilance, altered habitat use, but also the behavioral expression of anti-predator responses that are part of their evolved repertoire. Integrated welfare assessment that monitors both the reintroduced animals and the affected community reflects the genuine complexity of rewilding outcomes and enables adaptive management that improves both ecological and welfare results.