News & Updates

Responding to the news that the use of wild animals in circuses is to be banned in Wales from 1 December 2020, Dr Chris Draper, Born Free’s Head of Animal Welfare & Captivity, said:

Here’s 10 facts you need to know about this fascinating creature and the issues it is facing.

Which countries still allow travelling circuses to use wild animals in their shows?

Karen Lauria at Born Free USA explains what we can learn from the shockumentary Tiger King

Born Free is saddened to hear that Duchess, a female African elephant kept at Paignton Zoo, UK, has died.

In March this year, a man was mauled to death by his pet lion. The man, from the Czech Republic, had kept the lion – as well as a lioness – in a cage in the back garden of his family home for three years.

Also known as an ankus or goad, a bullhook it is a stout pole with a metal hook and a metal tip on the end. It is used in training and controlling elephants by a handler applying pressure to sensitive points on an elephant’s body.

In 2001, the 172-year history of keeping elephants at London Zoo came to an end. What happened to London’s last elephants?

Five years on from the death of Marius the giraffe, zoos are still killing healthy animals, but are not obliged to report it. It is time for transparency, says Born Free’s Head of Animal Welfare & Captivity, Dr Chris Draper.

Born Free reacts to the death of two young elephants from deadly virus at Chester Zoo