[5] Its stated mission is to "understand and improve the lives of wild animals," by studying natural causes of pain and death for animals, such as natural disasters, disease, and starvation.

[6] Abraham Rowe was the Executive Director of WAI until 2019,[7] after which Mal Graham became the leader of the organization.

[9] In 2021, WAI received a grant of $3.5 million from Open Philanthropy to support research on wild animal welfare.

WAI is the only group not working on farmed animal welfare to ever receive that rating.

[4] WAI has been awarded a four-star rating with a score of 98% by Charity Navigator.