In the wild, life is often far harsher than we tend to imagine. Many animals face constant threats—hunger, disease, injury, predation, and exposure—and a large number die young, often in prolonged and painful ways. Given the vast number of animals living in these conditions, this suffering may exist on an enormous scale, yet it remains largely overlooked.

Why is this? Is it justified? And what, if anything, should we do about wild animal suffering (WAS)? To help us answer this, let us turn to five questions that get at the heart of the issue. [...]