Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

December 2006 Consultative Meeting on Captive Animals held in Ethiopia. Wildlife Rescue Centre proposed.

December 2007 Born Free Foundation Ethiopia registered in Ethiopia

June 2008 Memorandum of Understanding signed between Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority and Born Free Foundation

April 2009 Wildlife Rescue Centre site officially signed over to Born Free Foundation Ethiopia.

June 2009 Born Free Foundation Ethiopia employ a team of security guards to protect the site

July 2009 President Girma Wolde Giorgis agrees to become the International Patron of Born Free Foundation Ethiopia

September 2009 Internationally acclaimed, Australian architectural practice Taylor, Cullity Lethlean commissioned to design the Master Plan for the Wildlife Rescue Centre. The individual buildings at the Centre to be designed by a firm of Ethiopian architects

November 2009 Site office and secure area constructed including staff and visitor toilets, tented accommodation, water tank and storage unit for tools and materials. Access road repaired.

December 2009 Land and hydrological surveys completed

January 2010 Temporary enclosure constructed for rescued lion cub Safia - see full story here

February 2010 President Girma Wolde Giorgis unveils foundation stone for the Wildlife Rescue Centre - see full story here

March 2010 Five rescued giant tortoises released at the Wildlife Centre site

April 2010 A spacious enclosure is built for the two rescued cheetah (Menelik and Sheba)

May 2010 Australian architectural practice TCL, and their consultants, travelled with the Born Free team to work on the Masterplan.

September 2010 Stephen Brend joins the Born Free Ethiopia team as Project Director and Country representative.

October 2010 Construction of the fence around the 5.7 km perimeter of the site is completed.

November 2010 Marking out and planning of the first permanent lion enclosure at Ensessakotteh is undertaken.

December 2010 Construction of the first permanent lion enclosure for Dolo and Safia begins.

March 2011 Construction of the first permanent lion enclosure is completed. 

March 23rd 2011 Dolo is relocated from his temporary enclosure at Awash National Park to his permanent home at Ensessakotteh.