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

Abstract

Many people hold the misconception that wild animals, hardened by their environment, do not experience pain as intensely as humans and domesticated animals. Some also believe that wild animals, even if they do suffer, do not desire assistance. These views are inaccurate. Wild animals possess similar nervous systems to humans and domesticated animals, indicating a comparable capacity for sentience and suffering. Their continuous exposure to threats like injury, hunger, and predation does not diminish their sensitivity to pain but rather subjects them to constant stress. High infant mortality rates, prevalent in the wild, represent a significant harm, depriving individuals of potential future positive experiences. Arguments against intervening in wild animal suffering often invoke the “appeal to nature” fallacy or prioritize abstract entities like ecosystems over individual well-being. While freedom is often cited as a positive aspect of wild animal lives, the harsh realities of survival mean this freedom is limited and often amounts to little more than the freedom to suffer and die prematurely. Therefore, the assumption that wild animals live well simply by virtue of being wild is unfounded. – AI-generated abstract.