The emerging field of wild animal welfare science

Michaël Beaulieu
Written By Mal Graham

This paper was published online in June 2026 by Trends in Ecology & Evolution. It was authored by Wild Animal Initiative’s former Science Director, Vittoria Elliott, former Strategy Director Mal Graham, and co-authors.

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A blue jay fledgling stands in a suburban backyard

Abstract

The emerging interdisciplinary field of wild animal welfare science (WAWS) explicitly expands the study of welfare to animals in the wild. It has applied value in informing how to improve the welfare of wild animals, ensuring they can thrive as well as survive in the face of the challenges of the Anthropocene. It also has intellectual value by generating new knowledge and insights about the affective states of wildlife. We aim to help scientists and practitioners understand how WAWS can support their work. To facilitate engagement in the field, we articulate core principles and key characteristics, and explore opportunities and challenges. We encourage those with relevant interests to engage in the field’s development and application.

Mal Graham

Mal is the former Strategy Director at Wild Animal Initiative. Mal completed their PhD in Engineering Mechanics at Virginia Tech, with research on the movement behaviors of jumping and gliding snakes. They studied physics and philosophy at the University of Oxford. Mal has also worked with animals in shelter, veterinary, farm, and zoo environments. They are located in Philadelphia.

mal.graham@wildanimalinitiative.org

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