Expedients for the ethical use of Rattus norvegicus as live prey in Wildlife Sanctuaries. A case study.

Wildlife sanctuaries play a pivotal role in conserving and rehabilitating various species which often require live prey, such as rats, to provide natural feeding methods to resident predators. These predator-prey dynamics are also fundamental for the evaluation of the hunting behaviors before the predator is released in the wild. This thesis will be based on the use of rats as live prey in wildlife sanctuaries, examining different aspects such as the ethical considerations associated with this practice, the lack of attention given to these rodents from a wellbeing point of view and their actual necessity with the aim of improving their welfare. In the introduction, the ethical issues related to the use of the living preys will be discussed with a subsequent focus on the physiologic, ethologic, and environmental needs of the captive rat (Rattus norvegicus). Subsequently, the objectives of the thesis will be discussed, which are based on the improvement of the wellbeing of the rats used as live prey in the wildlife sanctuary. Later the case study will be presented, discussing the materials and methods used during the traineeship, and comparing and analyzing the initial condition characterized by low welfare with the modified one characterized by a better welfare condition.