Preserving predation
Jordan O Hampton, Thomas M Newsome, Amy Dickman and Peter Sandøe (2025)
BioScience, biaf121
Abstract
The One Health concept has been enthusiastically adopted in conservation.
However, there are some underrecognized trade-offs that must be navigated when it comes to applying One Health ideas to wild animals. One of these relates to conflicts between the health of individual animals and the wildness and resilience of ecosystems when it comes to natural processes such as predation.
Over the past few decades, there is evidence of wildlife managers providing veterinary treatment to animals injured in predation events. These efforts need to be tempered in light of concerns for biodiversity, wildness and human interests.
We recognize that animals injured through predation can be distressing to contemplate for some humans, but allowing nature to take its course for these animals is enabling an essential ecological process. On this basis, we argue that there is not a strong ethical justification for interfering with predation.