News & Updates

The latest news, blogs and features from Born Free.

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A photo of a baby pygmy hippo standing next to a tree trunk in a zoo

Born Free urges public not to visit Moo Deng or other ‘famous’ animals in zoos

With various animals in zoos gaining popularity online recently, Born Free urges fans and the wider public not to visit them.
A lioness lying sleepily in a field of long grass and wild flowers

A tribute to Alpha

With great sadness, we recently had to say goodbye to Alpha, a precious rescued lioness, cared for at the Born Free Rescue Section at Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary, South Africa.
A photo of a woman in a small cage in central London, as people walk past looking at her

The Human Animal: Celebrities caged to highlight captive big cat suffering

Patrons including Amanda Holden, Kirsty Gallacher, and Jenny Seagrove took part in a Born Free protest to shine a spotlight on the restrictive living conditions facing lions, leopards and tigers in zoos across the UK and Europe.
A photo of a lion behind the bars of a zoo enclosure with a man taking a photo of it

Big cats are clawing at the cages in UK zoos – together, let’s end this suffering

Our new appeal and ground-breaking report call for an end to the exploitation of big cats in zoos, and a ‘Roar-Free UK’.
A group of elephants walking around in a muddy enclosure

Second elephant dies at Chester Zoo in a month

Chester Zoo has announced that Asian elephant Riva Hi Way has died at the age of four.
An adult elephant in a captive setting

Pretoria Zoo’s last captive elephant is released to the wild

Charley the elephant finally tastes freedom after decades in captivity.
A graffiti artwork by Banksy of a gorilla on the shutters of London Zoo

Latest Banksy artworks spark debate on animal captivity

Nine wild animal-themed works by the graffiti artist have appeared in London, but what do they mean?
A dolphin swims behind a human in a tank, with a crown of people in front watching through the glass

Animal welfare NGOs rally outside TUI’s Berlin HQ to demand end to dolphin cruelty

Born Free joins global animal welfare charities to rally outside travel giant TUI Group’s HQ in Berlin, Germany, to highlight the suffering dolphins face in captivity and call for change.
Two Asian elephants in a zoo enclosure

Last elephants depart from Belfast Zoo

Born Free welcomes the news as the number of zoos keeping elephants in the UK falls to ten.
A photo of a giraffe leaning over a metal railing, being fed by some people with blurred faces. The giraffe enclosure is barren

South Lakes Safari Zoo: Disappointing licensing decision announced

Born Free is disappointed and dismayed at Westmorland & Furness Council’s decision to allow troubled zoo to remain open in July 2024.