Welfare Science

Global Wild Animal Welfare in Natural Disasters

Natural disasters cause massive welfare impacts on wild animal populations, and developing response frameworks is an emerging area of wildlife welfare practice.

Key Facts

Australia's 2019-20 bushfires killed or injured an estimated 3 billion animals
Natural disasters create displacement, injury, starvation, and disease in wild populations
Wildlife emergency response teams are increasingly mobilised during major disasters
Habitat loss following disasters can cause prolonged welfare impacts lasting years
Climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of mass wildlife welfare events

Welfare Considerations

Natural disasters represent some of the largest-scale acute welfare events affecting animals globally. Developing wildlife emergency response capacity, habitat restoration protocols, and post-disaster welfare monitoring frameworks is increasingly urgent given climate change trajectories.

What You Can Do

Support wildlife emergency response organisations with donations
Volunteer with wildlife rescue groups during local disaster events
Advocate for government investment in wildlife disaster response capacity
Learn about disaster response to support effective intervention