Library
Browse resources published by our research team.
In addition to full texts of our peer-reviewed articles, our library includes research digests that break down our peer-reviewed articles; in-depth reports that thoroughly examine a topic; commentaries that explain the significance of particular issues in wild animal welfare science; and short communications that briefly survey a field or topic.
Wild Animal Initiative adheres to Open Science TOP Guidelines. Read more here.
Inspiring systematic inclusion of individual affective states to enhance the quality of wild animal research
Janire Castellano Bueno, Vittoria Elliott
Castellano Bueno, J., & Elliott, V. (2026). Inspiring systematic inclusion of individual affective states to enhance the quality of wild animal research. Wildlife Biology, https://doi.org/10.1002/wlb3.01669
The emerging field of wild animal welfare science
Vittoria Elliott et al.
Elliott, V., et al. (2026). The emerging field of wild animal welfare science. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 41, 912–923. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tree.2026.06.003
Ready to go wild? Factors affecting the representation and contribution of veterinarians in a selection of wildlife-oriented research disciplines
Michaël Beaulieu et al.
Beaulieu, M., et al. (2026). Ready to go wild? Factors affecting the representation and contribution of veterinarians in a selection of wildlife-oriented research disciplines. Research in Veterinary Science, 208, Article 106229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2026.106229
Welfare implications of injuries and deformities in wild fish
Eckerström Liedholm, S. (2026). Welfare implications of injuries and deformities in wild fish. Animal Welfare, 35, Article e28. https://doi:10.1017/awf.2026.10083
Considering affective state as a central component of the response of animals to environmental changes
Beaulieu, M. (2026). Considering affective state as a central component of the response of animals to environmental changes. Biology Letters, 22(1), Article 20250424. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2025.0424
Bye-bye bycatch: a remotely closing trap for targeted songbird capture
Bonnie Flint, Ben Vernasco
Flint, B. F., & Vernasco, B. J. (2025). Bye-bye bycatch: a remotely closing trap for targeted songbird capture. Journal of Field Ornithology, 96(4), Article 8. https://doi.org/10.5751/JFO-00744-960408
Research sense: Incorporating animals’ sensory capacities in animal care and study design
Mal Graham, Bob Fischer
Graham M., Fischer B. (2026). Research sense: Incorporating animals’ sensory capacities in animal care and study design. Laboratory Animals. 2026; 60(2):220-224. https://doi.org/10.1177/00236772251385784. (First published online December 14, 2025.)
Rehabilitating wild animal welfare: A focus on veterinary rescue and rehabilitation interventions
Beaulieu, M. (2025). Rehabilitating wild animal welfare: A focus on veterinary rescue and rehabilitation interventions. Research in Veterinary Science, 186, Article 105582. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2025.105582
Plugging biologging into animal welfare: An opportunity for advancing wild animal welfare science
Michaël Beaulieu, Michaela Masilkova
Beaulieu, M., & Masilkova, M. (2024). Plugging biologging into animal welfare: An opportunity for advancing wild animal welfare science. Methods in Ecology and Evolution, 15(12), 2172–2188. https://doi.org/10.1111/2041-210X.14441
Improving wild animal welfare through contraception
Simon Eckerström Liedholm, Luke Hecht, Vittoria Elliott
Eckerström Liedholm, S., Hecht, L., & Elliott, V. (2024). Improving wild animal welfare through contraception. BioScience, 74(10), 695–700. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biae071
Oxidative status: A general but overlooked indicator of welfare across animal species?
Beaulieu, M. (2024). Oxidative status: A general but overlooked indicator of welfare across animal species? BioEssays, 46(8), Article 2300205. https://doi.org/10.1002/bies.202300205
Validating physiological markers as welfare indicators: the case of oxidative stress
This research note is an extension of Michaël Beaulieu's paper, “Oxidative status: A general but overlooked indicator of welfare across animal species?,” which was published on June 4, 2024, in BioEssays’ “Problems & Paradigms” rubric.
Capturing wild animal welfare: A physiological perspective
Beaulieu, M. (2024). Capturing wild animal welfare: A physiological perspective. Biological Reviews, 99(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.13009
Quantifying the neglectedness of wild animal welfare
Michaël Beaulieu's deep dive examines the quality and quantity of mentions of wild animal welfare in the scientific literature and finds it to be a neglected research area.
Welfare and physiology: a complicated relationship
This research note is an extension of Michaël Beaulieu's paper, Capturing wild animal welfare: a physiological perspective, which was published August 27, 2023, by Biological Reviews online.
Wildlife contraception and welfare
Simon Eckerström Liedholm discusses why contraception is a promising tool for improving wild animal welfare, and what further research is most urgently needed.
The importance of considering age when quantifying wild animals’ welfare
Hecht, L. (2021). The importance of considering age when quantifying wild animals’ welfare. Biological Reviews, 96(6), 2602–2616. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12769
Early-life experiences are a priority in wild animal welfare research
Hecht, L. (2021). The importance of considering age when quantifying wild animals’ welfare. Biological Reviews, 96(6), 2602–2616. https://doi.org/10.1111/brv.12769
Luke Hecht explains why Wild Animal Initiative’s first call for grant proposals is focused on the welfare of juvenile animals.
Biotelemetry provides insight into a wild eagle’s death
Jane Capozzelli
Jane Capozzelli reviews how biologgers can provide information about welfare, but also pose risks to animals, following the case of a single eagle.
Improving pest management for wild insect welfare
Hollis Howe
Why should you care about insect welfare? Hollis Howe summarizes the literature on invertebrate sentience, estimates the number of insects affected by agricultural insecticide use, and describes the effects of common insecticidal compounds and other pest control methods.