ACES seminar given by Pete Goddard, head of ecology at the Macaulay Institute, 4th March 2011

1. The wildlife welfare / conservation
interface
Pete Goddard

2. Key points
1. The concept of wildlife welfare and the ethical stance
a) A brief overview of animal welfare in general
b) What welfare could mean to a wild animal?
2. How can we assess the welfare of a wild animal?
3. Can welfare values inform conservation decisions?
4. Do individual animals always really benefit from conservation?
As this outline suggests, I will present more questions than answers!

3. The ethical perspective on animal welfare –
how ought we to treat animals?
– four different ways to view our duties to animals
 Utilitarian – what matters are the interests of those who are being affected by
what we do; the strongest interests prevail
 Animal rights centred – recognition that animals have an inherent independent
value
 Species integrity – considering the value of the species to be important
(perhaps the crux of the conservationist’s approach)
 Agent-centred – considers how the way we treat animals impacts on us
Your personal approach to ethical issues will colour how you view the remainder of
the seminar
Overview of animal welfare

4. In the context of the current presentation:
What What does welfare mean wild wild animal?
could welfare mean to a to a animal?
Photo © Jerry Laker

5. What does the term “welfare” mean?
Definitions of welfare relate to:
I. Animal’s awareness of it’s situation
(subjective / feelings based)
II. Animal’s state in relation to it’s surroundings and its ability to cope
III. Nature-based – the ability to perform a full range of behaviours
 Welfare is a state, not a quantity - no categorical units
 An animal can be positioned on a welfare scale in relation to certain
criteria
 An element of human subjectivity in balancing welfare attributes

6. Feelings-based:
whose feelings? A new research approach:
QBA – Qualitative Behavioural
Assessment
An approach based on the descriptive
terms developed by panels of
observers and analysed statistically
using approaches such as principal
component analysis.
Shows a high degree of correlation
regardless of the background or
knowledge of the observers.
Important to ensure that it is not
context-specific (ie will a group of
animals in a well-bedded pen
attract a different “description” to
that of a similar group of animals in
a barren pen, even if their
behaviour is generally similar?)

7. What does the term “welfare” mean?
Definitions of welfare:
I. Animal’s awareness of it’s situation
(subjective)
II. Animal’s state in relation to it’s surroundings and its ability to cope
III. Nature-based – the ability to perform a full range of behaviours
If the second
approach is easier …. is this third
to apply … approach more
appropriate to wild
animals?

8. What does the term “welfare” mean?
Definitions of welfare:
I. Animal’s awareness of it’s situation
(subjective)
II. Animal’s state in relation to it’s surroundings and its ability to cope
We should consider
III. Nature-based – the ability physical and a full range of behaviours
both the to perform
mental state of the
individual

9. Attempt at the description of the term “welfare”
“The state of well-being brought about by meeting the physical,
environmental, nutritional, behavioural and social needs of the animals
or groups of animals under the care, supervision or influence of people”
Appleby, 1996
“Welfare can vary between very poor and very good…” Broom & Johnson, 1993
Nb. Take care to avoid the North American use of the word “welfare” as
something provided for those in need.

10. Why should we be concerned about wild animal
welfare anyway? Is this too obvious a question?
 Most people inherently sympathetic towards wild animals
 For example they like to watch and sometimes interact with them
 Animals considered sentient beings (able to experience) and so should be treated
with some degree of respect
 Recognition that we can have impacts on wild species
Societal differences
 Possibly related to views about food animals / religious views
 Different countries afford different “rights” to animals
 Some of these embodied in legislation

11. Are there any areas of the world outside of the impact of Man
where we don’t impact on wild animals in some way?
 As a result of global changes
active conservation measures
may be undertaken to
preserve species
 Only 10% of the world’s land is
more than 48 hours’ surface
travel from the nearest city –
leaving forests increasingly open
to human interference
(New Scientist 18.04.09)

12. Background to thinking about the concept of
wildlife welfare
 Consideration of wild animal welfare has received relatively little
attention – thus small evidence base
 Populations or individuals?
 Considerable body of knowledge in relation to farmed livestock
 How should the welfare of wild or range animals be assessed?
 Are there times we have special responsibility towards wild species?
 I will use some examples from wild deer, vicuna & sea birds

13. Individuals versus groups or populations:
another issue to be aware of when thinking
about wildlife

14. Animal welfare is about the individual but…
..how do we balance serious issues for a small number against lesser
issues for a large number?
..importantly for conservation, how do we balance the interests of one
species against those of another (e.g. predator / prey relationships)?

15. A starting point:
Our level of ethical responsibility
As animals become more “managed” or impacted does our ethical
responsibility increase?
Wild Managed
For example, with increasing intervention in relation to wild
deer (fencing, culling, feeding) comes increased responsibility

16. FAWC’s “Five freedoms”
 Freedom from hunger
 Can we apply these to wild animals?
and thirst
 Is it appropriate to do so?
 Freedom from discomfort
 Freedom from pain,
injury or disease
 Freedom to express
normal behaviour
 Freedom from fear and
Photo Scott Newey
distress

17. Five freedoms for wild animals
 Freedom from hunger and  Possibly compromised in natural
thirst state +/- human involvement
 Freedom from discomfort  Is this likely / possible for wild
animals?
 Freedom from pain, injury or
 Is this likely for wild animals?
disease
Natural processes cause these
 Freedom to express normal
 This is where wild animals “win”.
behaviour
 Freedom from fear and  Any difference from domestic
distress livestock?
Issue of “normal” or “natural” behaviour to consider; for wildlife read “natural”?

18. Five freedoms for wild or managed animals
Wild Managed

19. For wild animals – should we intervene?
Should we intervene to:
 Freedom from hunger and thirst
 Provide food and water at certain times?
 Freedom from discomfort
 Treat or kill animals in severe discomfort
or when injured or diseased?
 Freedom from pain, injury or disease
 Freedom to express normal  Provide enhanced or protected
behaviour environments or influence predators?
 Freedom from fear and distress

20. How can we assess the welfare of a wild animal
Welfare can be assessed from observations of:
•Physical state (e.g. the presence of
emaciation, physical injuries or disease)
Second •Behavioural signs (e.g. position in group;
main area activity pattern; abnormal stance or gait)
So how shall we frame our assessment?

21. A possible new welfare construct for wild animals
 Ranging behaviour
 Foraging behaviour / food availability
 Breeding choice
 Lifespan
 Solitude vs disturbance
 Health status
Does this alternative approach, which
focuses on the “nature-based” definition
of welfare, help us? Is this a better
currency?

22. A possible new welfare construct for wild animals
Wild Managed
Health

23. Non-invasive methods to assess wild animal welfare
Changes in behaviour
Abnormal behaviour patterns
Changes in physiology
Health / mortality
In all cases - which measures / timeframe
Photo Angela Sibbald

24. Using this alternative framework to consider wild deer
 Nutrition / foraging behaviour
 Habitat exclusion / ranging behaviour
 Disturbance
 Disease / injury incidence
 Breeding choice
All things we could evaluate

25. Using an understanding of population dynamics
 Comparing pre- and post-action
disturbance
 Long-term reproductive success
 Distribution patterns

26. Impact of human disturbance on red deer
0.7
Less_disturbed
Disturbed
0.6
0.5
0.4
%
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
Feeding Vigilant
Behaviour type
Jayakody, S., Sibbald, A.M., Gordon, I.J. & Lambin, X. 2008:
Red deer Cervus elaphus vigilance behaviour differs with
habitat and type of human disturbance. - Wildl. Biol. 14: 81-91
Photo Sevvandi Jayakody

27. Deer fencing - exclosure
A recognition by deer managers that they should aim to
prevent welfare problems from arising e.g. winter starvation
or exposure, in deer fenced out of winter feeding grounds.

28. Placing an animal on a welfare scale
Enhanced
Underpinning welfare
legislation provision
Very Perceived level of welfare Very
poor good
Presence of negative Presence of positive
welfare indicators welfare indicators
The importance of the presence of positive indicators – do we
have these for wild animals?
© Pete Goddard

29. A life worth living:
Enhanced welfare
Underpinning
schemes
legislation
Very poor Very good
Perceived level of welfare
A life not worth living A life worth living A good life
Avoidance of negative welfare Presence of positive welfare
indicators indicators
Who should be the guardian of animals in the wild?
© Pete Goddard

30. Can welfare values inform decisions about
sustainable use and conservation?
Third
main area

31. Interactions between conservation and
welfare objectives in sustainable use
Population Sustainable use Habitat
conservation conservation
Socioeconomic benefits
Modified from Bonacic et al., 2009

32. Interactions between conservation and
welfare objectives in sustainable use
Animal welfare
Population Sustainable use Habitat
conservation conservation
Socioeconomic benefits
Modified from Bonacic et al., 2009

33. What types of situation give rise to welfare concerns?
 Harvesting – such as hunting (consumptive use)
 Human “invasion” into wildlife territory
 Animals in reserves
 Translocation (assisted colonisation)
 Captivity of range animals – reindeer example
 Ecotourism and disturbance
 Welfare and nuisance / pest control
 Protection of vulnerable habitats (animal impacts)
 Indirect effects (e.g. climate change)
 ….Many others you can all think of

34. As an example: The ethical cost:benefit review of
translocation and reintroduction
 Need to capture all of the “costs”
 Many of the welfare costs of working with
wild animals also map on to the “cost”
considerations for treating wildlife
casualties:
 Capture and captivity
 Impacts on dependant young
 Close handling / treatment
 Welfare risks after release through
 Release into unfamiliar territory
 Competition for resources
 Post-release survival
 Introduction of infection
 Predator: prey imbalance
 Benefits may be easier to ascribe to
conspecifics / other species so this
justification may be more acceptable to
some people

35. Populations on the welfare balance: an example of potential
conflict for an individual
Do population dynamics
change as we manage
animals?
Increasing numbers
High population
Higher welfare
density
Welfare
Lower welfare

36. A “Best Practice” example - Welfare: definition
& assessment
Impact on the deer Sever ity Dur ation Number
affected
Pr oblem Outcome High M inutes Stags
M oder ate Days Hinds
Low Life Calves
© DCS

37. Welfare: definition & assessment
Impact on the deer Sever ity Dur ation Number
affected
Pr oblem Outcome High M inutes Stags
M oder ate Days Hinds
Low Life Calves
Removal of W inter M oder ate M onths High
feeding mor tality X hinds
gr ound Y calves
© DCS

38. Welfare: definition & assessment
Impact on the deer Sever ity Dur ation Number
affected
Pr oblem Outcome High M inutes Stags
M oder ate Days Hinds
Low Life Calves
Removal of W inter M oder ate M onths High
feeding mor tality X hinds
gr ound Y calves
© DCS

39. An aside: Dealing with casualties
Casualties may arise as a direct result of
conservation measures
You may come across casualty and
diseased animals during the course of
your work
What will you do?
What responsibilities do you have?
Should you intervene?
Generally accepted that anthropogenic
injuries should be treated
(See BSAVA manual of wildlife casualties)

40. Vertebrate pest control has welfare
implications to evaluate
 Trapping – (and evaluation of humaneness and effectiveness of new
traps)
 Poisons / pesticides
 May be more difficult to develop test standards but objective end
points are valuable (e.g. looking at a range of behavioural and
physiological responses)
 Scope for reducing uptake by non-target species
 Fertility control
 Deterrents

41. A specific ethical perspective for
“compassionate conservation” (not my descriptor!)
 The (UK) public view of wildlife conservation
 An alternative view of wildlife as pests
 The likelihood of benefit to the wildlife
species themselves
 Impact on the ecosystem of removing /
reintroducing individuals
 Potential disease aspects following
reintroduction
 Can we develop a cost:benefit approach to
inform our actions?

42. Cost:benefit of welfare for farm animals:
Can this approach be used for wild animals?
Economic approach to resolve conflicts
B
Level of animal welfare
A C
D
FARM - Level of production / output / value
After McInerney, 1991

43. Cost:benefit of welfare for farm animals:
Can this approach be used for wild animals?
Ethical approach to resolve conflicts
B
Level of animal welfare
A C
D
WILD – Anthropogenic impact
After McInerney, 1991

44. Do individual wild animals benefit from conservation
actions? A possible “yes” and a possible “no”
Welfare aspects of shearing the Andean vicuña: sustainable use within an
ethical framework
Fourth
main area
Photos © Jerry Laker

45. Opportunities for community engagement in
conservation and management
Involving communities in wildlife
management and welfare in the
Andean altiplano through
sustainable use of vicuña.
Photos © Jerry Laker

46. Management systems developed based
on animal welfare
Investigate the effects of capture, shearing and release on:
• disturbance
• reproduction
• longevity
• post-management losses
• subsequent feeding behaviour
Audit of welfare and behaviour:
• guidelines on best
management practice
• improved handling and
shearing techniques

47. Taking a balanced or holistic view using a range
of information
 Combining field study data with
animals held in temporary
captivity and treated in the
same way
 Using data from a range of
variables
 Post-capture behaviour
 Reproductive success
 Social groupings
 ? Life expectancy Photo © Jerry Laker
 Faecal steroid concentrations
Photo © Jerry Laker

48. Back to your ethical perspective: When should you
intervene to resolve a wild animal problem?
Pathological stage &
population problems Conservation
problem
Reproductive problems
Pre-pathological stage Welfare
problem
Behavioural and physiological
responses to stress
Normal homeostasis
Modified from Bonacic personal comm., 2007

49. Do individual animals always benefit from
conservation actions? A wildlife catastrophe -
 RSPB estimated that 10,000 seabirds along
over 100 miles of coastline in SW England
were affected by oil pollution caused by
the deliberate grounding of MSC Napoli on
20 January, 2007.
 Guillemots were the most affected (18
species significantly affected overall)
 Your challenge: Should seabirds have
been treated or euthanased?
 Is this a conservation or a welfare issue?
Where does the balance lie?

50. Another wildlife catastrophe – with both
welfare and conservation impacts
Is this a
conservation /
aesthetic issue or
one to do with
animal welfare?
At the 2010 ISAE conference we
asked workshop attendees if
they believed animal
conservation raises any
important welfare challenges.
VAS : never to always 81 / 110

51. The welfare vs conservation balance
One viewpoint: Species of high
do you agree? conservation
status
Can compromise
individual welfare
Common
species, not
listed in any Acceptable
SAP etc. compromise
to welfare Can’t compromise
individual welfare

52. The welfare vs conservation balance
Another viewpoint: Species not
do you agree? held in high
public regard
Species of high public
affection – iconic; Acceptable
aesthetic value; … compromise
to welfare

53. An international perspective – are there
common standards?
Welfare aspects of shearing the Andean vicuña: how do the ultimate
consumers value conservation / sustainable use / animal welfare of the
animal in its environment?
At the same conference we
asked workshop attendees if
they considered animal
welfare concerns were used
to guide field conservation
practice.
VAS : never to always 42 / 110
Photo © Jerry Laker
Photo © Jerry Laker

54. Conservation:welfare approach for the future
 An ethical review of all conservation
interventions: look at the system
overall - working through trade-offs
 Assessment of “lifetime” welfare
account - for individual or
population subject to conservation
measures
 Identification of specific welfare
weaknesses in conservation actions
 The conservation manager to be
more focused on welfare

55. Legislators or independent groups to lead ?
 Is there a need for legislation to prevent or reduce wildlife
welfare problems during conservation?
 Legislation aimed at / restricted to:
 game parks / reserves, transport, hunting, other proactive
management
 Consumer / visitor pressure through choice
 positive or negative
 There is great scope for positive interaction between those
concerned with both wildlife welfare and conservation

56. The Vicuña
The Theory and Practice of Community-Based
Wildlife Management
http://springer.com/978-0-387-09475-5
Photos © Jerry Laker
http://compassionateconservation.org/

57. Questions to take away:
 As wild animals become more
“managed” does our
responsibility for their welfare
increase?
 What measures are meaningful?
 How do we reconcile the
conservation of populations with
the welfare of individual wild
animals?
 How do we trade off different
welfare compromises for wildlife?
Would this red deer hind prefer to
be in the wild or on our deer farm?