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Wild Animal Initiative

@wildanimalinitv.bsky.social

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Offering grants, research, and services to accelerate science that helps wild animals. wildanimalinitiative.org

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · Aug 22

If we're connecting here for the first time and you're curious about what exactly wild animal welfare science is, this introductory blog post explains it. Related fields: #biology #ecology #ecoevo #ethology #animalbehavior #physiology #conservation

Core Concepts: Wild animal welfare science — Wild Animal Initiative

Wild animal welfare science focuses on understanding the subjective experiences of individual wild animals with the goal of improving their welfare.

www.wildanimalinitiative.org

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 8h

But as we mention in the paper and the Q&A, more research is definitely needed before anyone can make sound management recommendations.

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 8h

We address the question of social dynamics in the paper (e.g., in and around Table 1, we note that cooperative, group-living species may be less likely to benefit from contraception in terms of welfare, and there could be some potential for it to disrupt social structures).

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 8h

Researchers, wildlife managers, and government agencies are also aware of the cases where secondary exposure *is* likely if used in the wrong way (e.g., for oral baits), so they take steps to reduce the risk of leakage and secondary exposure. (Example: downloads.regulations.gov/EPA-HQ-OPP-2...)

downloads.regulations.gov

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 8h

These are good questions! Long-term effects on the population and environment are mostly not a problem for the most common form of wildlife contraception (immunocontraceptive vaccines) because they're used in small quantities, they aren't hormones, and they degrade quickly.

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 3d

Our friends at Rethink Priorities are hosting a webinar next week that may be of interest to wild insect researchers — with a discussion on the current state of knowledge about insect sentience and the possibility of insects feeling pain.

🗓️ October 20
🕐 1 pm EST
Sign up: luma.com/npwnyni8

What do we know about insect sentience? · Zoom · Luma

Welcome to the RP Strategic Animal Webinars and the talk and Q&A session: What do we know about insect sentience? Date: October 20, 2025 (10 AM PDT, 1 PM EDT,…

luma.com

Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 5d

From adventures in Antarctica to adventures of the mind, WAI Research Manager Michaël Beaulieu has always been motivated by a desire to answer the most pressing questions about wild animal lives.

Breaking the ice with Research Manager Michaël Beaulieu — Wild Animal Initiative

June 11, 2025 Fresh out of vet school with his new DVM degree, in 2004 Michaël Beaulieu found himself seasick on a rickety boat bound for Terre Adélie, the narrow slice of Antarctica claimed by…

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 9d

Wildlife contraceptives could be a humane population management tool — but they could also be used with the primary intention of improving wild animal welfare. Check out our 2024 Q&A with @simonliedholm.bsky.social to learn more: www.wildanimalinitiative.org/blog/wildlif...

Exploring the welfare benefits of wildlife contraception — Wild Animal Initiative

September 24, 2024 Wild Animal Initiative scientists published a paper this month discussing the potential for contraceptives to alleviate resource competition among wild animals, and the negative…

www.wildanimalinitiative.org

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 12d

By becoming a member of our free community, you'll join an international network of wild animal welfare researchers and practitioners, and hear about opportunities in the field.

#ecology #ecoevo #animalbehavior #animalwelfare #conservation 🧪

Join our Research Community — Wild Animal Initiative

Become a member of our community if you would like to engage researchers and practitioners around the world interested in understanding and improving the lives of animals in the wild.

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 13d

🐦 Learn more about Marion's project here: www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grantees/mar...

Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 16d

If you're a member of @thewildlifesociety.bsky.social, check out page 49 of the latest Wildlife Professional for an article on wild animal welfare by WAI Researcher and Education Specialist @dr-bff.bsky.social 🐿️

Let us know what you think!

#TheWildlifeSociety #TWS

The Wildlife Society @thewildlifesociety.bsky.social · 29d

Watch for the September/October issue of The Wildlife Professional in your mailbox. The magazine features a cover story on the Athabasca oil sands and a special focus on urban wildlife conservation.

The September/October issue of The Wildlife Professional - The Wildlife Society

Industry affects wildlife populations in the Alberta oil sands

wildlife.org

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 17d

Interested in applying for a grant to conduct research in wild animal welfare science? We currently have an open call for proposals: www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants

Grants — Wild Animal Initiative

We have an open call for proposals on all grant types. Learn how to apply.

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 17d

We're excited to share an update on our grantees' research progress. Some highlights:

🧠 80 knowledge advances produced
🧪 83 indicators developed or improved
👩🏽‍🔬 583 people involved in project activities
🌍 37 workshops/webinars hosted

Visit our blog to read the full progress update:

Progress update on our grantees’ research projects — Wild Animal Initiative

September 9, 2025 Since 2022, our Grants Program has funded research on wild animal welfare — from validating ways to measure the welfare of free-living wild animals, to discovering the factors…

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 18d

We were excited to fund this project on crayfish welfare — arthropods whose welfare has not received a great deal of attention in the scientific literature so far. Check out the initial results on Bristol Zoological Society's blog.

Bristol Zoo Project

For over a year, the conservation team at Bristol Zoo has been assessing the welfare of crayfish during translocation.

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 20d

📢 #CFP: We are now accepting #grant applications for research projects in wild animal welfare science.

To learn more about the grants we offer, what we're looking for, and how to apply, visit our grants page: www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants

Submit your EOI by November 14.

Grants — Wild Animal Initiative

www.wildanimalinitiative.org

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · 27d

WAI grantees Jess Harvey-Carroll and Daire Carroll developed a framework applying the well-established principle of the four Rs for animal welfare in research to ensure the ethical use of animal-borne devices during post-release monitoring of rehabilitated animals. buff.ly/MYqeG5Q

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · Sep 15

In case you missed it: We recently announced our latest round of #grant recipients. Visit our blog to learn more about the 15 projects we funded this year. www.wildanimalinitiative.org/blog/2025-gr...

Wild Animal Initiative awards 15 new research grants in 2025 — Wild Animal Initiative

August 8, 2025 Fifteen research projects have been selected to receive a total of $711,309 in grants from Wild Animal Initiative this year. Our Grants Program funds academic research on high-...

www.wildanimalinitiative.org

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · Sep 15

Thank you so much! We're grateful for your kind donation.

Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · Sep 12

If you'd like to stay up to date on news from Wild Animal Initiative, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Subscribe to monthly email newsletter — Wild Animal Initiative

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · Sep 11

If you were at AWRN and want to learn more about how you can get involved in wild animal welfare research, please get in touch!

@janirecas.bsky.social
@tanyapayne.bsky.social
@lbbhecht.bsky.social
www.wildanimalinitiative.org

Wild Animal Initiative

www.wildanimalinitiative.org

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · Sep 11

That’s a wrap on #AWRN2025!

Thanks so much to the organizers and to everyone who took part in today’s workshop on transferring welfare assessments to wild animals. We’re very grateful to have had the opportunity to help spotlight #wildanimalwelfare at this year’s meeting.

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · Sep 10

We’re at #AWRN2025 this week, where we’re really excited that #wildanimalwelfare is being highlighted.

Wonderful to see some of our grantees taking center stage, including an opening plenary by María Diez Leon and a great talk by Ricardo Lemos de Figueiredo on crayfish welfare.

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Reposted by Wild Animal Initiative

Janire Castellano Bueno, PhD @janirecas.bsky.social · Sep 10

Great introduction to Wild Animal Welfare science by Maria Díez León at #AWRN2025 🦦

Many challenges but many great opportunities too!

#WildAnimalWelfare @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social

María Díez León - AWRN Wild Animal Welfare

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Reposted by Wild Animal Initiative

Janire Castellano Bueno, PhD @janirecas.bsky.social · Sep 10

The #AWRN2025 conference is live!

Excited for the great talks ahead and the spotlight on #WildAnimalWelfare.

@wildanimalinitv.bsky.social

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Reposted by Wild Animal Initiative

Akshay Bharadwaj @akshaybirdwatch.bsky.social · Sep 9

Glad to have contributed to this session at Behavior 2025!! Thanks to @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social for their support to our work in the eastern Himalayas!

Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · Aug 27

Thank you to everyone who attended our workshop on a #GlobalSouth perspective on #wildanimalwelfare and #animalbehaviour today—and a big thank you to our speakers!

#Behaviour2025
@akshaybirdwatch.bsky.social
@tanyapayne.bsky.social
@janirecas.bsky.social
@behaviour2025.bsky.social

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Wild Animal Initiative @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social · Sep 8

A WAI-funded project found that the release of translocated crayfish led to increased refuge use and aggression among resident crayfish — suggesting a potential negative welfare impact of a conservation translocation program.

Bristol Zoo Project

For over a year, the conservation team at Bristol Zoo has been assessing the welfare of crayfish during translocation.

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