A Sentience Article from All-Creatures.org

Why wild animal suffering matters

From Animal-Ethics.org
August 2024

Wild animal suffering is prevalent. There is no reason to have attitudes towards animals living in nature different from the ones we would have if they were domesticated animals or humans, so we should try to help animals in nature whenever possible. 

Many people have a rosy view of the wild. Some think nonhuman animals live in some kind of paradise in the wild. However, animals living in nature have lives that are far from idyllic, and most of them have to deal with the reality of constant threat of tremendous suffering. Wild animal suffering is widely prevalent. Many people do not see or think about this aspect of living in nature. Others believe that wild animal suffering is not a serious issue because animals can cope with their suffering better than domesticated animals. Most of us may accept that nonhuman animals experience suffering, yet it may be easy to think they suffer less than they really do. This, however is not so.

If sentient beings matter, we shouldn’t be indifferent towards wild animal suffering. Moreover, we should bear in mind that the amount of suffering and premature death present in nature is very significant. Wild animal suffering is much more prevalent than many people think. Most animals die in painful ways when they are very young, so they have no chances for enjoyment, for pursuing their aims or fulfilling their capacities. This is so mainly due to the reproductive strategies prevalent in nature due to evolutionary reasons. The huge populations of animals living in the wild also make this issue especially pressing. The following texts explain this in detail.

Population dynamics and animal suffering

The reproductive strategy that is overwhelmingly prevalent in the wild consists of having huge numbers of offspring of which the vast majority die not long after coming into existence. This is the main cause of wild animal suffering, as it means most animals in nature have little time for enjoying positive experiences and often die in ways that involve significant suffering (such as starvation, dehydration, cold or being eaten alive). In this way, population dynamics suggest that suffering prevails over happiness in nature.

Evolutionary reasons why suffering prevails in nature

Natural selection works when different individuals come into existence but only some of them survive, as there are not sufficient resources available for everyone. Because of this, many individuals come into existence only to die shortly after, and a reproductive strategy maximizing the number of new individuals that are born may prevail for evolutionary reasons, even if it entails that wild animal suffering and premature death increase tremendously.

Can animals in the wild be harmed in the same ways as domesticated animals and humans?

Animals living in nature endure significant harms, as other animals would be harmed in similar circumstances. Humans are not the only beings that can feel suffering and wellbeing. The section on animal sentience explains this in detail. Moreover, wild animal suffering is prevalent. There is no reason to have attitudes towards animals living in nature different from the ones we would have if they were domesticated animals or humans, so we should try to help animals in nature whenever possible. 

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Posted on All-Creatures.org: August 6, 2024
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