News & Updates

The latest news, blogs and features from Born Free.

Press contact: [email protected]+44 (0)1403 240 170
A mother rhino with her calf in a concrete enclosure

Planning application for new zoo in Cumbria denied

Born Free welcomes the news that the previous management team at South Lakes Safari Zoo will not be opening a new zoo in Cumbria.
Two orcas are in a small and shallow-looking swimming pool

Plight of orcas and dolphins at Marineland continues

Born Free is extremely concerned by recent revelations regarding the health and welfare of orcas Wikie and Keijo, and 12 bottlenose dolphins, at the Marineland dolphinarium in Antibes, France.
A photo of a depressed-looking gorilla sitting with its head resting on its hand, in a barren concrete enclosure.

Mental Health Awareness Week and Born Free

Why would a wildlife charity be interested in emotional well-being? And is unnatural, ‘zoochotic’ behaviour in captive wild animals a mental health issue?
An orca swims alongside the glass of an aquarium tank

Lone female orca in Loro Parque pregnant again

Born Free laments news of the impending birth of another captive orca at the marine park in Tenerife.
Two images of chimpanzees at Kinshasa zoo, reaching through the metal bars of a small and dirty enclosure with blue plastic wrapping around the outside

Shocking conditions for rescued chimps in DRC

Recent news has emerged that authorities in the DRC ordered the seizure of 12 chimpanzees from a rescue centre, to be relocated to a dilapidated government-run zoo in the capital city, Kinshasa.
A group of penguins standing on an artificial glacier in a dimly-lit underground aquarium

Campaign calls for release of penguins kept underground

Born Free joins Freedom for Animals in calling for the removal of 15 gentoo penguins currently housed belowground at Sea Life, London.
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.
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 group of three elephants in a captive enclosure at Blackpool Zoo

Blackpool Zoo announces both expected elephant calves have died

Born Free is saddened to hear of the tragic loss of two baby elephants at Blackpool Zoo, which adds to recent elephant deaths at Chester Zoo and Dublin Zoo.
An elephant stands at the entrance to a zoo enclosure

Learning to look beyond zoos

A year on from our groundbreaking Beyond Zoos event in London’s Royal Geographical Society, Born Free’s Youth Ambassador Hector questions the educational role of zoos.