News & Updates

As Brexit negotiations continue, it’s important to remember one particular constituency that never got to vote in the referendum, but for whom the implications could be profound. We’re talking of course about animals.

Rhinos have had a very rough time over the years. All rhino species. It is believed that, long ago, they roamed in their millions across Africa and Asia.

Last year, an expedition jointly organised by Born Free and WildCRU*, led by Dutch lion biologist Dr. Hans Bauer, ‘discovered’ a lion population in a huge area that stretches either side of the border between Sudan and Ethiopia, encompassing two National parks – Dinder on the Sudan side, and Alatash on the Ethiopian side.

Over the past few weeks we have been very busy at Zambia Primate Project (ZPP) doing the final preparations for our 2017 primate release. The absolutely brilliant Dr Ntombi Mudenda Nkonde from UNZA Veterinary Department joined us on several occasions to firstly health screen our troop of rescued vervet monkeys to ensure they are disease free and fit to be released back to the wild, and to last week radio collar 5 of the adults so that we can track, monitor and support the troop in their transition back to a wild life.

Three prominent vets have written to the Veterinary Record challenging the British Veterinary Association(BVA)’s continuing support for Government sanctioned badger culls. Born Free Foundation’s Associate Director Mark Jones has been joined by his colleagues Alastair MacMillan and Alick Simmons in criticising the BVA for not withdrawing its support for the controversial policy, in spite of a lack of evidence that four years of culls have had any real impact on the spread of bovine TB among cattle, and concerns for the welfare of targeted badgers.

Born Free’s inspirational Co-Founder, legendary actress and Campaigner Virginia McKenna OBE, was last night honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Daily Mirror Animal Hero Awards in recognition of her incredible 33-year career tirelessly campaigning to preserve and protect wild animals.

Earlier this month our team at Ensessa Kotteh welcomed a new addition. This beautiful male Menelik’s bushbuck was confiscated by the Oromia Forestry and Wildlife Enterprises (OFWE) near the small town of Asela (nearly 190km from our sanctuary).

Last #worldorcaday, 14th July 2017, Born Free teamed up with WCRS and The Mill to highlight the plight of orcas in captivity. Our powerful and thought-provoking animation of an orca in a barren tank was displayed on the billboards of shopping centres across the UK to highlight the appalling fact that, in the USA, a captive orca can legally be kept in a tank just twice its own body length - roughly the size of a 48ft billboard.

A controversial three-day online auction of rhino horn kicks off in South Africa on 23rd August 2017, following a convoluted legal battle between profit-hungry rhino owners and an ill-prepared Government Department. The consequences for beleaguered rhinos across their range could be absolutely disastrous.

Badaling Wildlife World in Beijing, China, is in the news again following another incident where a visitor has ignored safety warnings. It has been reported that the man opened his car window to feed the animals while driving through the safari park’s black bear enclosure. A bear managed to force the car window fully open, and bit the man’s arm.