La Kretz Center Seminar: What is Wild Animal Welfare? Exploring the science of wild animal welfare: research, challenges and future directions

This seminar explores Wild Animal Welfare Science, an interdisciplinary field focused on assessing and improving animal welfare in natural environments. Researchers will present case studies and discuss applications.

Agenda

• Introduction (10 min): Janire Castellano Bueno provides an overview.
• Presentation + Q&A (40 min): Dave Daversa on wild animal responses to environmental stressors.
• Presentation + Q&A (40 min): Andrew Sharo on behavioral and physiological welfare indicators.
• Discussion & Wrap-Up (30 min): Future research and collaboration opportunities.

Speakers
Janire Castellano Bueno – Outreach Manager, Wild Animal Initiative; Postdoctoral Research Associate, Newcastle University.

Her research focuses on validating welfare indicators and integrating welfare into behavioral research. With a background in laboratory primate welfare, Janire specialized in long-term and cumulative welfare using behavioral and neuroimaging indicators. After completing her PhD, she shifted her focus to wild free-ranging species, continuing to emphasize welfare and welfare indicators.

Dave Daversa – Project Scientist, UCLA IoES; Research Fellow, Wild Animal Initiative.

His research examines the ecological consequences of global change. He studies how wild animals respond behaviorally and physiologically to stressors fueled by global change (e.g. infectious disease, extreme weather, human disturbance) and assesses how those responses lead to demographic change.

Who Should Attend?
Open to students, researchers and professionals in wildlife science, ecology and animal welfare.

To RSVP or send any inquiries, please contact Dave Daversa: ddaversa@ucla.edu.