Big Cats
Since 1995 Born Free’s Big Cat project has been dedicated to helping lions, tigers and leopards in need.
- Protecting lions in the wild in Africa
Our Big Cat project is dedicated to helping lions, tigers and leopards in need. Born Free rescues lions, leopards and tigers from tiny cages; gives individual big cats lifetime care at sanctuaries in South Africa and India; protects wild lions in Africa and India; campaigns to end hunting lions and leopards for ‘sport’; funds a major wild tiger conservation initiative in India; and develops humane solutions when people and big cats come in conflict
Born Free's Big Cat Project
- Investigates and alleviates the suffering of captive big cats
- Rescues big cats from appalling captive conditions
- Supports big cat conservation in the wild
- Develops humane solutions when people and big cats come in conflict
Born Free achievements:
- The high-profile rescue of 34 lions, tigers and leopards from appalling captive conditions and their lifetime care in suitable sanctuaries (1995–2006). Including the Three Lions rescued from a French circus (November 2006).
- Exposing Europe’s unregulated exotic pet trade in tigers and other species (1998)
- The launch of our Animal Rescue and Education Centre in memory of Julie Ward, at Shamwari wildlife reserve, South Africa (1998)
- The creation of a Tiger Sanctuary at Bannerghatta Wildlife Sanctuary, India (2002)
- Launching a major tiger conservation initiative in India (2003)
- Helping develop a conservation project for India’s rare Asiatic lion (2004)
- Launch of the Lion Fund to secure a future for Africa’s lions (2005)
- Creation of a second Animal Rescue and Education Centre at Shamwari, South Africa, created thanks to the support of Jean Byrd, and enabling us to rescue more lions and leopards in need (2006)
Current projects
- Born Free rescues big cats from lives of misery
Investigation: Throughout the world, countless thousands of big cats are kept in appalling conditions in zoos, circuses and private ownership. Even in modern zoos tigers, lions and other big cats repeatedly pace, frustrated because their hunting and territorial instincts are denied. Cats often breed well in captivity, but it is extremely difficult to return a captive-bred big cat to the wild and this practically never happens.
Rescue: Supported by Big Cat Gold Members supporters, Born Free’s high profile campaigns rescue tigers, leopards and lions from lives of misery in Africa and Europe, raising awareness and providing lifetime care in spacious natural habitat sanctuaries in Africa and India.
Conservation: Despite large captive populations, wild big cats are in crisis. Habitat destruction, ‘trophy hunting’ and poaching for skins and body parts are rampant, and wild lions, leopards and tigers are in desperate need of our help. Born Free is determined to halt the race to extinction and works to develop effective conservation projects.
Contact Us | eNews | Kids Club | Campaign Action | Wild&Live | CEO's Blog | Sitemap | About Site | Copyright