Crop protection from wildlife pests involves methods ranging from lethal control to non-lethal deterrence, with significant welfare implications for birds, mammals, and other species.
Crop protection from wildlife involves welfare tradeoffs between animal lives and human livelihoods. Lethal control of crop-raiding animals kills individuals while often failing to provide lasting protection as new animals fill territory. Poison grain kills indiscriminately, causing painful deaths in target and non-target species. Non-lethal deterrence methods — when properly implemented — protect crops while allowing wildlife to live. The welfare and conservation case for investing in non-lethal deterrence is strong, but requires technical support and often initial subsidy for smallholder farmers who cannot absorb the cost of crop losses during transition to new methods.