Malnutrition, hunger and thirst in wild animals

Abstract

Wild animals commonly experience malnutrition, hunger, and thirst, leading to considerable suffering and death. High reproductive rates coupled with limited resources result in starvation for many offspring. Surviving animals face further challenges, including food shortages during mating and parental care, ecological disruptions, natural disasters, and seasonal changes. Predation exacerbates the suffering caused by hunger and thirst, as prey animals are forced to make risky foraging choices. Thirst, particularly during droughts, leads to dehydration, exhaustion, and death. Diseases and injuries can also contribute to starvation and dehydration. Human interventions, such as translocating prey animals for predators or implementing starvation measures for urban wildlife, sometimes exacerbate these problems. – AI-generated abstract.