News & Updates

The latest news, blogs and features from Born Free.

Press contact: [email protected]+44 (0)1403 240 170
Two orcas swimming inside a glass fronted pool at Marineland

The fate of Marineland’s orcas

With plans under discussion to send Wikie and Keijo to Loro Parque Zoo, the Dolphinaria-Free Europe coalition calls on the French Government to retire the pair to a sanctuary instead.
A close-up photo of three dolphins in a pool

Fighting for dolphins: a Tank Free timeline

For 40 years, Born Free has fought to free captive whales and dolphins. We won’t stop until their exploitation stops but, we need your help, explains Sarah Jefferson from our Policy team.
A hippo raises its head above water with mouth wide open showing its teeth

UK ivory ban extension comes into force

Born Free celebrates as the UK Ivory Act extension enforces a near total ban on the import, export and selling of hippo, narwhal, sperm whale and orca ivory.
A photo of an orca leaping backwards out of a pool, in front of an audience.

Planning a holiday in 2025? Make sure it’s Tank Free

A ‘holiday of a lifetime’ could mean a lifetime of horror for captive whales and dolphins forced to perform at some of the world’s most popular holiday hotspots.
A photo of a captive dolphin taking part in a show. A man is crouching at the edge of the pool with his face blurred.

New report documents escalating exploitation of captive whales and dolphins in China

A worrying new publication has exposed the scale of whale and dolphin exploitation across theme parks in China.
A photo of a wild hippo standing on grass with its mouth wide open

Parliament approves extension of UK’s Ivory Act

Born Free celebrates the inclusion of additional ivory-bearing species including hippos, narwhals, sperm whales and killer whales to the Act.
An orca leaps out of the water in a marine park pool, while a trainer is holding a pole out for the orca to jump towards

Born Free welcomes news that Europe’s largest marine zoo is to close its doors

We are now calling for orcas and other animals to be relocated to sanctuaries.
A hippo grazing in a marshy area of grass

UK government tables legislation to extend Ivory Act to hippos and whales

DEFRA has announced that it has tabled legislation in Parliament to extend the UK’s ban on elephant ivory trade to other ivory-bearing species, specifically hippos, narwhals, sperm whales and orcas.
Two dolphins in a pool taking part in a show and playing with a ball

Two major UK tour operators take action for whales and dolphins

Born Free applauds recent news that two UK tour operator giants have announced that they will no longer sell tickets to attractions with captive cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoises).
Three orca line up at the edge of a pool, in front of three people in wetsuits

Will Marineland, Antibes’ orca be sent to Japan?

Born Free calls on French President Macron to stop the transfer of three captive orca to Japan - sign the petition now.