Meet our grantees
Wild Animal Initiative funds academic research on high-priority questions in wild animal welfare.
The goal of our grants program is to fund research that deepens scientific knowledge of the welfare of wild animals in order to better understand how to improve the welfare of as many wild animals as possible, regardless of what causes the threats to their well-being.
We showcase our grantees and their projects here and will be adding more in the coming weeks and months.
Predicting density dependence of welfare of wild animal populations based on resource access linked to habitat availability and usage
Grantee: Ross MacLeod
Institutions: Liverpool John Moores University
Project summary
This project seeks to adapt a habitat and population model to incorporate welfare and apply it to the study of an abundant and widespread avian species, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). The researchers propose to utilize a variety of welfare metrics to validate model assumptions, which will then allow them to test assumptions related to the welfare implications of density-dependent population dynamics.
Grantee: Ross MacLeod
Institutions: Liverpool John Moores University, United Kingdom
Grant amount: $159,744
Grant type: Challenge grants
Focal species: House sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Conservation status: Least concern
Disciplines: Ecological modeling, population ecology, animal welfare science
Research location: United Kingdom
Project summary
This project seeks to adapt a habitat and population model to incorporate welfare and apply it to the study of an abundant and widespread avian species, the house sparrow (Passer domesticus). The researchers propose to utilize a variety of welfare metrics to validate model assumptions, which will then allow them to test assumptions related to the welfare implications of density-dependent population dynamics.
Why we funded this project
We funded this project because it addresses our proposal request very closely and proposes to investigate a key wild animal welfare question using a modeling framework. They are also planning to address their question using an abundant avian species. The project has high potential to inform future work focused on modeling total welfare in a population (i.e., combining both individual welfare and population size), and to create a model that can be replicated in other systems.
Find Ross’ other project, studying wild birds, here.
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To feed or not to feed wild birds
Grantee: Marion Chatelain
Institution: University of Innsbruck
Project summary
Despite providing otherwise limited resources, bird feeders may attract predators, facilitate the exchange of pathogens, and increase intraspecific conflict. This project will study two common bird species: great tits, who use feeders intensively, and black redstarts, who typically do not use feeders. By monitoring the use of nestboxes in gardens with or without feeders, the project aims to evaluate social stress and competition for nesting sites caused by bird feeding. Fecal samples from nestlings will also be analyzed to understand impacts on stress physiology, growth rate, and ectoparasite load.
Grantee: Marion Chatelain
Institution: University of Innsbruck, Austria
Grant amount: $29,943
Grant type: Seed grants
Focal species: Great tits (Parus major), black redstarts (Phoenicurus ochruros)
Conservation status: Least concern
Disciplines: Ecological modeling, community ecology
Research location: Austria
Project summary
Bird feeding can provide birds with sustenance through challenging times, such as winter, and in places where they would not be able to find abundant natural foods, such as inner cities. However, bird feeding may also have negative consequences by aggregating birds in one location, attracting predators, facilitating the exchange of pathogens, and increasing intraspecific conflict.
This project will consider two common bird species: great tits, who use feeders intensively, and black redstarts, who typically do not use feeders. By monitoring the use of nestboxes separately targeting these two species, across private gardens that do or do not provide feeders, the project aims to evaluate social stress and competition for nesting sites caused by bird feeding. Fecal samples from nestlings will also be analyzed to understand impacts on stress physiology, growth rate, and ectoparasite load.
Why we funded this project
With the popularity of bird feeding and the density of private gardens in cities, understanding the pros and cons of bird feeding may be crucial for understanding and ultimately improving the welfare of urban birds. We especially appreciate that this project will consider both target and non-target bird species, and focuses on the welfare of juveniles.
Density-Dependent Welfare in Wild Bird Social Networks: Linking resource distributions with disease dynamics
Grantee: Joshua Firth
Institution: University of Oxford
Project summary
This project will investigate how various potential density-dependent drivers of welfare interact and influence net welfare in two species of tit. Population density is expected to be directly related to infectious disease transfer and increased competition, but also to covary with processes that are potentially beneficial to welfare. The study will use historical data to determine how the relationship between population density and individual welfare is shaped by infectious disease, body condition, and mortality risk. The investigators will then manipulate density experimentally to test model outputs and determine potential causal links.
Grantee: Josh Firth
Institution: University of Oxford, United Kingdom
Grant amount: $99,466
Grant type: Challenge grants
Focal species: Great tits (Parus major), blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Conservation status: Least concern
Disciplines: Animal behavior, community ecology, infectious disease, population ecology, ornithology, bio/eco-informatics, ecological modeling, animal welfare science
Research location: United Kingdom
Project summary
This project seeks to understand the interplay among various potential density-dependent drivers of positive and negative welfare impacts to determine net welfare related to aggregation (increased density) in wild birds (two species of tit). Infectious disease transfer and increased competition, both likely to reduce welfare, are expected to be directly related to population density. However, population density also covaries with processes that are potentially beneficial to welfare, such as congregation around areas that provide high nutrition, various social benefits, opportunities for increased cooperation, or access to social information. The study will use long-term datasets to empirically determine how the relationship between population density and individual welfare is shaped by infectious disease, including the density-dependent relationship with disease spread. Additionally, using historical data, the project will test how population density, mediated by social contact, environment, and disease, determines individuals’ body condition and mortality risk. Based on the results of this observational phase of the study, the investigators will then manipulate density experimentally, to test model outputs and determine potential causal links.
Why we funded this project
This project brings two unique advantages. First, the investigators have access to a population that has been subject to intensive monitoring for decades, meaning that much of the relevant ecological context is known and there is historical data to analyze retrospectively. Secondly, in part due to this long-term monitoring, the birds are tagged and observed at feeding stations equipped with RFID tags/readers that allow for experimental manipulation of the density and identity of birds feeding at particular stations. By empirically testing density-dependent models of welfare, the project could provide an increased understanding of the interplay among population density, infectious disease, and various social and environmental characteristics, and in doing so, identify drivers of welfare in wild birds.
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Drivers of welfare in American pikas (Ochotona princeps)
Grantee: Johanna Varner
Institution: Colorado Mesa University
Project summary
Pikas (Ochotona princeps) in alpine habitats have recently faced population losses and range retractions. Declines are most prominent in isolated mountain ranges with limited high-elevation habitat, like the La Sals, where pikas are consequently likely to experience lower welfare. This project will assess the welfare of pikas in the La Sals through patterns of survival, population demographics, physiological stress, body condition, ectoparasite load, and hydration. The researchers will also test hypotheses correlating these indicators to habitat quality, and investigate resource competition between pikas and mountain goats.
Grantee: Johanna Varner
Institution: Colorado Mesa University, United States
Grant amount: $28,500
Grant type: Small grants
Focal Species: American pikas (Ochotona princeps)
Conservation status: Least concern
Disciplines: Population ecology, animal behavior, ecological modeling, community ecology
Research location: United States
Project summary
Due to recent population losses and range retractions, pikas (Ochotona princeps) are considered a sentinel for climate change in the alpine. However, declines are most prominent in isolated mountain ranges with limited high-elevation habitat, like the La Sals. Surrounded by low-elevation desert in all directions, pikas in the La Sals are likely to experience lower aggregate welfare (i.e., steeper population declines, greater physiological stress, and lower survivorship). This project will assess the welfare of pikas in the La Sals through patterns of survival, population demographics, physiological stress (fecal glucocorticoid metabolites; FGM), body condition, ectoparasite load, and hydration. The researchers will also test hypotheses correlating these welfare indicators to aspects of habitat quality. Finally, they will also investigate resource competition between pikas and mountain goats as another potential factor in pika welfare.
Why we funded this project
This project addresses our research priority of understanding the welfare implications of competition and other conflicts of interest between wild animals. It also focuses on a highly numerous species, the American pika. In that context, we appreciate that this project will model habitat quality on the spatial scale relevant to individual pika when assessing its association with their welfare. Finally, we value that they will use a wide variety of welfare indicators, representing the domains of physiology, behavior, and environment/demography, with each strengthening interpretation of the other.
