Poaching causes massive individual animal suffering through snare injuries, poisoning, and live capture — alongside the conservation impacts on population survival.
Poaching welfare harms are severe. Snares maim and slowly kill any animal that triggers them — the intended species and countless bycatch victims including non-target wildlife, domestic animals, and occasionally people. Poison-baiting of carcasses to kill lions, vultures, and hyenas causes agonizing deaths. Live capture for exotic pet trade involves extremely high mortality rates during transport. Beyond the individual welfare costs, poaching undermines conservation programs that protect populations from collapse. The welfare of individual animals and the survival of species are aligned in the anti-poaching imperative.