What are the most tractable and cost-effective interventions to improve wild animal welfare?
Context and Relevance:
Wild animals outnumber animals in factory farms by several orders of magnitude. Despite this, the welfare of animals in the wild has received very limited attention. As of yet, there have been no serious attempts to improve wild animal welfare, perhaps because this appears to have low tractability. However, some in the effective altruism community have argued that tractability is higher than it might first appear. Proposed interventions include advocacy for wild animals and research into potential solutions. This research can contribute valuable insights into effective and responsible welfare improvements for wild animals.
Potential Research Approach:
Comprehensive Review of Existing Studies: Conduct a comprehensive review of existing studies and reports on wild animal welfare interventions. This review should compile a list of potential strategies and assess their effectiveness, feasibility, and cost.
Case Studies of Previous Interventions: Examine case studies of previous interventions aimed at improving wild animal welfare. Focus on the outcomes of these interventions, including their costs, effectiveness, and scalability. Analyze what worked well and what did not to identify best practices and areas for improvement.
Proposal of New Interventions: Propose new ideas for tractable and cost-effective interventions to improve wild animal welfare. Use insights gained from the review and case studies to develop innovative and practical strategies that could be implemented in various contexts.
Additional Questions:
What are the ethical considerations and potential unintended consequences of proposed interventions for wild animal welfare?
How can stakeholder engagement be maximized to support the implementation of wild animal welfare interventions?
What metrics and methods are most effective for evaluating the success and impact of wild animal welfare interventions?