Trapped wild animals' nutrition?

[Buoidda]

I read this in the changelog:

- added: trapped animals will eventually die

        Depending on their nutrition and overall physical condition it usually takes from few days to a week
        for a trapped animal to perish.

I've noticed wild animals (elks) dying in pens after being released from traps. I failed to find more info in the file so I'm asking here. How is (trapped) animal's nutrition tracked, or is it, really?

Animals that are only herded into pens seem to survive well, so currently it seems the trap installs a death-timer. Is there a way to preserve trapped and then released animals?

[Privateer]

 Just guessing here,
 Probably some sort of timer which is set after a 'triggered' amount of time in the trap, damage level etc.

This was implemented for realism, as a common tactic, exploit, was to trap an animal and use it as
a maxing tool for skills keeping it alive 'forever'.

[Frostbit]

I mostly kept released animals alive in nearby pens until the weather was suitable for drying the meat. Now I only trap large game in Winter so I don't risk losing anything to spoilage.

Just guessing here,
 Probably some sort of timer which is set after a 'triggered' amount of time in the trap, damage level etc.

This was implemented for realism, as a common tactic, exploit, was to trap an animal and use it as
a maxing tool for skills keeping it alive 'forever'.

That's what Njerps are for. 

[Privateer]

I mostly kept released animals alive in nearby pens until the weather was suitable for drying the meat. Now I only trap large game in Winter so I don't risk losing anything to spoilage.

Just guessing here,
 Probably some sort of timer which is set after a 'triggered' amount of time in the trap, damage level etc.

This was implemented for realism, as a common tactic, exploit, was to trap an animal and use it as
a maxing tool for skills keeping it alive 'forever'.

That's what Njerps are for. 

They die in traps now too.

[Frostbit]

They die in traps now too.

Really? I was never able to trap a human so gave up several versions ago. I need to check this out.

[PALU]

They die in traps now too.

Really? I was never able to trap a human so gave up several versions ago. I need to check this out.

Humans detect traps that are part of trap lines, so in order to trap humans you need to make a "mine field". I've had one trader found dead in an isolated trap of mine once (no sight of his party), as well as a woodsman that was stupid enough to first cut down a tree that joined a trap to a line, and then step into the trap. He spent a month or two lying there healing, claiming everything was fine, before he finally left. Note that both events were in previous versions of the game.

Experiments with Njerps and traps (in a mine field configuration) showed them running straight through traps most of the time when chasing the character, getting caught for a turn or two at best (but getting some minor injuries). This is consistent with predators that enter traps while aggroing against the PC: they often get straight through as well (and, again, take damage in the process).