🎤 WAI Science Director @lbbhecht.bsky.social took part in a panel discussion at #LSE last week that explored the #ethics of #conservation and wild animal welfare. You can watch a recording of the conversation below.

There's no one path to becoming a wild animal welfare scientist. We interviewed WAI Strategy Researcher @simonliedholm.bsky.social to learn about his.

📢❗Last call! The final day to submit an EOI for a Wild Animal Initiative #grant is this Friday, November 14. #animalwelfare #science #CFP #wildlife #research

Two years ago, we launched our first field research project: an investigation of how varying environmental conditions affect the welfare of house sparrows. We've now completed fieldwork and are preparing to review and analyze the data. Learn more:

📢❗Last call! The final day to submit an EOI for a Wild Animal Initiative #grant is this Friday, November 14. #animalwelfare #science #CFP #wildlife #research

When WAI Strategy Researcher @simonliedholm.bsky.social decided to apply his scientific background to helping wild animals, "the big question was just, ‘Is there anyone willing to pay me for doing this?’” Read about Simon's path to wild animal welfare science:

🧪 We have an open #CFP on projects in wild animal welfare science. Not sure if your project is the right fit? We've put together a guide on using common research skills to study wild animal welfare, and integrating welfare into wildlife science projects.

Watching Nightmares of Nature on Netflix is a spooky way to spend the evening, but the scariest thing about nature isn’t on TV — it’s how little we know about what life is actually like for wild animals, and how we might improve their welfare. 🎃 🐈‍⬛ 👻

In case you missed it, wild animal welfare was featured in the latest issue of The Wildlife Professional, where @dr-bff.bsky.social explored the benefits of integrating welfare into urban ecology. If you're a member, you can read it here: buff.ly/3VtLdeA

🚨Call for Grant proposals is currently open at www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants! Deadline: 14th November #WildAnimalWelfare #Grants

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to stay up to date with the latest highlights from Wild Animal Initiative. #wildlife #animalwelfare #science #research

📢 #CFP: Wild Animal Initiative is accepting grant applications for projects studying wild animal welfare. 🗓️ Submit your EOI form by November 14 to be considered. 🧪 #wildlife #biology #zoology #ecoevo #animalbehavior #animalbehaviour #physiology #conservation #science

We've awarded 84 grants since we launched our Grants Program three years ago, and we're excited to share the contributions that our grantees have made to the field of wild animal welfare science so far.

Our friends at Rethink Priorities are hosting a webinar next week that may be of interest to wild insect researchers — with a discussion on the current state of knowledge about insect sentience and the possibility of insects feeling pain. 🗓️ October 20 🕐 1 pm EST Sign up: luma.com/npwnyni8

From adventures in Antarctica to adventures of the mind, WAI Research Manager Michaël Beaulieu has always been motivated by a desire to answer the most pressing questions about wild animal lives.

Wildlife contraceptives could be a humane population management tool — but they could also be used with the primary intention of improving wild animal welfare. Check out our 2024 Q&A with @simonliedholm.bsky.social to learn more: www.wildanimalinitiative.org/blog/wildlif...

By becoming a member of our free community, you'll join an international network of wild animal welfare researchers and practitioners, and hear about opportunities in the field. #ecology #ecoevo #animalbehavior #animalwelfare #conservation 🧪

🐦 Learn more about Marion's project here: www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grantees/mar...

If you're a member of @thewildlifesociety.bsky.social, check out page 49 of the latest Wildlife Professional for an article on wild animal welfare by WAI Researcher and Education Specialist @dr-bff.bsky.social 🐿️ Let us know what you think! #TheWildlifeSociety #TWS

We're excited to share an update on our grantees' research progress. Some highlights: 🧠 80 knowledge advances produced 🧪 83 indicators developed or improved 👩🏽‍🔬 583 people involved in project activities 🌍 37 workshops/webinars hosted Visit our blog to read the full progress update:

We were excited to fund this project on crayfish welfare — arthropods whose welfare has not received a great deal of attention in the scientific literature so far. Check out the initial results on Bristol Zoological Society's blog.

📢 #CFP: We are now accepting #grant applications for research projects in wild animal welfare science. To learn more about the grants we offer, what we're looking for, and how to apply, visit our grants page: www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grants Submit your EOI by November 14.

WAI grantees Jess Harvey-Carroll and Daire Carroll developed a framework applying the well-established principle of the four Rs for animal welfare in research to ensure the ethical use of animal-borne devices during post-release monitoring of rehabilitated animals. buff.ly/MYqeG5Q

In case you missed it: We recently announced our latest round of #grant recipients. Visit our blog to learn more about the 15 projects we funded this year. www.wildanimalinitiative.org/blog/2025-gr...

If you'd like to stay up to date on news from Wild Animal Initiative, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

That’s a wrap on #AWRN2025! Thanks so much to the organizers and to everyone who took part in today’s workshop on transferring welfare assessments to wild animals. We’re very grateful to have had the opportunity to help spotlight #wildanimalwelfare at this year’s meeting.

We’re at #AWRN2025 this week, where we’re really excited that #wildanimalwelfare is being highlighted. Wonderful to see some of our grantees taking center stage, including an opening plenary by María Diez Leon and a great talk by Ricardo Lemos de Figueiredo on crayfish welfare.

Great introduction to Wild Animal Welfare science by Maria Díez León at #AWRN2025 🦦 Many challenges but many great opportunities too! #WildAnimalWelfare @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social

The #AWRN2025 conference is live! Excited for the great talks ahead and the spotlight on #WildAnimalWelfare. @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social

Glad to have contributed to this session at Behavior 2025!! Thanks to @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social for their support to our work in the eastern Himalayas!

A WAI-funded project found that the release of translocated crayfish led to increased refuge use and aggression among resident crayfish — suggesting a potential negative welfare impact of a conservation translocation program.

And that's a wrap on our #AMA with @dr-bff.bsky.social! Thanks so much for sharing your questions. If you weren't able to join us live, take a look at the videos below to learn about conducting welfare research on wild animals. 🧪🐌 🐀

🙋🏽 #AMA: There is no course on wild animal welfare at my school. How can I learn more about it and get involved? @dr-bff.bsky.social answers:

🙋🏾 #AMA: How is wild animal welfare different from other wildlife research fields? @dr-bff.bsky.social answers:

🙋🏿 #AMA: What is wild animal welfare? How can it be studied scientifically? @dr-bff.bsky.social answers:

Hi all, if you haven't seen it, I'm doing an AMA here on BlueSky on the @wildanimalinitv.bsky.social feed. About 15 minutes left to submit questions! But you can watch the videos anytime.

🙋🏾 #AMA: How is fieldwork in wild animal welfare different from other kinds of wildlife research? @dr-bff.bsky.social answers:

🙋🏽 #AMA: I don’t work with wild animals. How is understanding wild animal welfare useful to me? @dr-bff.bsky.social answers:

🙋🏽 #AMA: What is your background and how did you end up in this field? @dr-bff.bsky.social answers (and valiantly copes with the 3-minute @bsky.app video limit):

🙋🏼 #AMA: As a new entrant into the wild animal welfare space in West Africa, how would you suggest I build competence in this area? I have recently developed a keen interest in insect welfare. @dr-bff.bsky.social answers:

🙋🏻 #AMA: What are the challenges of conducting welfare research on wild animals? @dr-bff.bsky.social answers:

🙋 #AMA: How do you hope your research changes the scientific community? @dr-bff.bsky.social answers:

📽️ Starting now: @dr-bff.bsky.social answers your questions on conducting welfare research on wild animals. We'll keep taking questions until 12 pm ET, so respond to this post or DM us to submit one!

11 AM ET TODAY: Join us for an #AMA with @dr-bff.bsky.social. Live on Bluesky, she'll answer your questions about conducting welfare research on wild animals. Respond to this post or DM us to submit a question.

Don't forget to submit your questions for this Friday's #AMA with @dr-bff.bsky.social! Bonnie will be answering your questions about conducting welfare research on wild animals. Submit a question in advance by replying to this post or sending us a DM.

Reminder: Live on Friday, September 5 at 11 am ET, Researcher and Education Specialist @dr-bff.bsky.social will be answering your questions about conducting welfare research on wild animals. Respond to this post or DM us to submit yours now.

This Friday, September 5 at 11 am ET, Researcher and Education Specialist @dr-bff.bsky.social will be answering your questions live here on Bluesky. Submit your questions on conducting welfare research on wild animals by replying to this post or sending us a DM.

⬇️ potential PhD position ⬇️

Lisa Leaver, a WAI grantee, presents on some of the other research she's done on squirrels. Lisa's WAI-funded project just recently begun — you can learn more about it here: www.wildanimalinitiative.org/grantees/vik... #Behaviour2025 @behaviour2025.bsky.social

🤔 How do we translate animal welfare research into impact? @amcell.bsky.social, a technical reviewer on our Grants Review Panel, addresses #Behaviour2025. @behaviour2025.bsky.social