In Situ Provisioning Wildlife with Food, Water, or Shelter after Bushfires: Using a One Welfare Framework to Guide...

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Animal Welfare Science
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• Australia's 2019-2020 bushfires caused widespread devastation to wildlife, ecosystems, and human communities.
• The fires exposed a critical lack of evidence and coordinated guidance for wildlife provisioning efforts undertaken by volunteers and organizations.
• There is an urgent need for best-practice guidelines as climate change intensifies future bushfire events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the arguments for and against wildlife provisioning following severe fire events.
• To propose a framework for developing evidence-based strategies for wildlife interventions.
• To inform policy and practice for future wildlife responses to natural disasters.

Main Methods:

• Contextualizing provisioning arguments within the 'One Welfare' framework, integrating animal welfare, biodiversity, and human well-being.
• Reviewing scientific literature, lay reports, legislation, stakeholder views, and historical fire data.
• Proposing controlled experiments, advanced data collection, and longitudinal analysis.

Main Results:

• The bushfires revealed a lack of consensus and coordination in wildlife provisioning interventions.
• The 'One Welfare' framework offers a holistic approach to consider diverse factors in wildlife response.
• Engaging stakeholders and building an evidence base are crucial for effective future interventions.

Conclusions:

• A coordinated, evidence-based approach is essential for effective wildlife provisioning during and after bushfires.
• The 'One Welfare' framework provides a robust structure for developing sustainable and ethical wildlife support strategies.
• Future research should focus on controlled studies and data collection to inform policy and improve outcomes for wildlife and ecosystems.