African Elephants
Safeguarding African savannah elephant populations in the Meru and Amboseli landscapes in Kenya.
Field Conservation
OUR CONSERVATION WORK
From removing snares to working alongside local communities, our field conservation teams are making a difference every day. Every wild animal matters. That’s why Born Free is committed to protecting wild animals, habitats and ecosystems, whilst inspiring compassion and respect for wild animals.
We strive for coexistence, where wildlife and people can live safely and peacefully alongside one another. We are working towards a future where wild animals can live their lives free from harmful exploitation – and where ecosystems are thriving.
What are the problems facing wild animals?
Wildlife is increasingly threatened by human activities worldwide, including:
- human-wildlife conflict
- habitat degradation, destruction and fragmentation
- unsustainable and commercialised hunting or poaching
- infectious diseases
- climate change
Human-wildlife conflict
As people and wildlife come into closer contact, conflicts arise which reduce the communities’ tolerance towards wildlife.
Many remaining wildlife populations also live in areas with high poverty levels. Here, the communities rely on natural resources, like bushmeat, wood and water – putting further pressures on wild animals.
Rapid human population growth is also driving extensive loss of habitat across the planet. Agriculture, infrastructure development and extractive industries are leading to huge changes in land use.
How is Born Free conserving wild animals?
We run and support field conservation programmes which aim to address the most critical threats facing threatened species. These programmes protect the natural habitat of wild animals including lions, elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, tigers, giraffes and orangutans.
Our work is community-based and driven, focused on engaging local communities to find effective ways to:
- reduce and mitigate conflict
- diversify and secure sustainable livelihoods
- protect and conserve key habitats
- increase empathy and compassion
- enable peaceful coexistence
We also conduct research, support wildlife law enforcement and promote education and advocacy.
This holistic programme aims to achieve our vision of a world where humans and wildlife can live alongside each other.
Download our annual Conservation Reports
Conservation Report 2022-2023 Conservation Report 2021-22 Conservation 2-Year Report 2019-2021 Conservation Report 2018-2019
Born Free Species Conservation
Find out more about Born Free's work to directly support conservation projects around the world, helping to protect individual species.
Chimpanzees
Protecting chimpanzee populations with the Guardians of Dja programme in Cameroon and chimpanzee conservation in Uganda.
Giraffes
Working collaboratively to ensure the conservation and survival of reticulated giraffes in Kenya.
Gorillas
Our work to protect eastern and western gorillas in the rainforests of Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Lions
Protecting lions and their habitats, and working to secure coexistence with people, in Kenya.
Orangutans
Conserving wild orangutans and their habitat in the forests of Borneo, with the Orangutan Foundation.
Orcas
Monitoring orca populations in the wild with OrcaLab and campaigning to prevent orcas from being caught and kept in captivity.
Rhinos
Fighting to save rhinos by funding the vital work of the Kenya Wildlife Service in their protection of black rhino and white rhino.
Tigers
Working across Central India to tackle poaching, safeguard habitats, and find ways for communities and tigers to coexist.
Our programmes
Find out more about our flagship conservation programmes in Kenya, Cameroon and India.
Pride of Amboseli
Born Free’s Pride of Amboseli initiative aims to reduce human-carnivore conflict and promote coexistence between people and carnivores in the Amboseli Ecosystem, Kenya.
Pride of Meru
Born Free’s Pride of Meru initiative aims to reduce human-carnivore conflict and promote coexistence between people and carnivores in the Meru Conservation Area, Kenya.
Saving Meru’s Giants
Born Free’s Pride of Meru initiative aims aim to reduce human-elephant conflict, address threats faced by giraffes, promote coexistence between people and herbivores and safeguard habitat.
Guardians of Dja
Born Free’s Guardians of Dja initiative aims to increase the abundance of rare chimpanzees and gorillas in the Dja Biosphere Reserve (DBR), Cameroon, and to enable local people and wildlife to coexist.
Satpuda Landscape Tiger Partnership
The Satpuda Landscape Tiger Partnership aims to reduce threats facing tigers in India, and to promote human-tiger co-existence across a vast multi-use landscape.
PREVIOUSLY SUPPORTED CONSERVATION PROJECTS
Born Free has a long history of working with conservationists across the world to protect threatened species.