In situ provisioning wildlife with food, water, or shelter after bushfires: Using a One Welfare framework to guide responses

Title
In situ provisioning wildlife with food, water, or shelter after bushfires: Using a One Welfare framework to guide responses
Publication Date
2023-11
Author(s)
Jones, Bidda
Herbert, Catherine
Finnerty, Samantha
Kennedy, Brooke
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1337-9705
Email: bkenne27@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:bkenne27
Lykins, Amy
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2930-3964
Email: alykins@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:alykins
Martin, John M
McManus, Phil
Raubenheimer, David
Shaw, Michelle
McGreevy, Paul D
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7220-8378
Email: pmcgree2@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:pmcgree2
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
MDPI AG
Place of publication
Switzerland
DOI
10.3390/ani13223518
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/58280
Abstract

Australia’s 2019–2020 bushfires had a devastating impact on animals, humans, and ecosystems. They also demonstrated the lack of evidence or guidance for wildlife provisioning in response to severe fire events when volunteers and wildlife organisations rose to respond. In addition, the unprecedented scale and intensity of the fires and an absence of institutional support for wildlife provisioning meant that well-intentioned interventions were largely uncoordinated and lacked clear short-term, mid-term, and long-term objectives. Fundamentally, a lack of consensus was revealed on whether any such interventions are advisable. Given the strong evidence indicating that future bushfire seasons will become longer and more intense in Australia and elsewhere, the welfare and survival of millions of wild animals are at risk every year. Understanding the impacts of supplementary resource interventions and contributing to the development of best practice information is crucial to inform the response to the next major fire event. Here, we contextualize the arguments for and against provisioning within a ‘One Welfare’ framework that recognizes that animal welfare, biodiversity, and the environment are intertwined with human welfare and community resilience. We propose that the One Welfare approach can facilitate appropriate consideration of the extant scientific and lay literature; local legislation; views of stakeholders; emerging data; and modelling from historic fire events. As a further step, we see merit in engaging with wildlife provisioners and the broader conservation community to build an evidence base for future wildlife provisioning activities. From an informed position, we can encourage beneficial interventions and reduce the risk of negative outcomes. Finally, we propose controlled experiments (e.g., using hazard reduction burns), ongoing data collection using emergent technology, and longitudinal analysis to address shifting research priorities as the climate changes. We conclude that the ordered collection of the necessary evidence relevant to each of the three stakeholder groups in the One Welfare framework has the greatest potential to support an informed policy platform on wildlife provisioning across Australia that is feasible, legal, and sustainable.

Link
Citation
Animals, 13(22), p. 1-15
ISSN
2076-2615
Start page
1
End page
15
Rights
Attribution 4.0 International

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