Born Free Foundation
The Bitter Bond: Award-winning Short Film by Born Free Foundation
updated
After their epic journey, the leopards were released on Wednesday 1st May into a still, bright morning surrounded by sunshine and birdsong. Initially, both Alda and Ginny took tentative steps out of their crates, sniffing the South African soil beneath their paws and carefully examining their new surroundings. The animal care team at Shamwari were thrilled to see both leopards looking relaxed and very quickly starting to explore the natural bush of their 2.5 acre enclosure, taking in the sights sounds and smells of their ‘forever’ home.
Within half an hour the mother and daughter had found each other and were reunited, both looking well and enjoying the privacy of the thickets and dense bush. The Born Free team will now be monitoring the leopards closely giving them the dedicated, expert care they deserve, for the rest of their lives.
Sadly, leopards and other big cats are bred in captivity for horrific reasons – to languish in small cages as illegal ‘pets’, for exploitation in zoos, circuses or for animal ‘experiences’, and for trade in their skins, teeth, claws, bones and other body parts. Whatever the reason that Alda and Ginny were bred, their life would have been bleak. Thankfully, they now get to experience a life under the South African sun.
We work tirelessly to end the illegal wildlife trade. Can you help us to protect more wild animals like Alda and Ginny? Please consider donating to support our vital work in this area.
Read their full story and make a donation to help us work to end the illegal wildlife trade: bornfree.org.uk/news/new-life-for-rescued-leopards
Recently, new camera trap footage has captured a pangolin believed to be Nguindolo, living happily in the wild!
To support the rescue, rehabilitation and release of orphaned pangolins, you can adopt a pangolin today! bornfree.org.uk/adopt/pangolin
For more information, visit bornfree.org.uk/news/four-servals-two-years-on
Read more about this incredible event on our website: bornfree.org.uk/news/born-free-fabulous-at-40
We asked some of our staff in Kenya, Ethiopia and South Africa to reflect on what working for Born Free means to them, and to share their hopes for the future.
You could help us to make our vision of the future a reality by making a donation in honour of our 40th birthday 😍👇
bornfree.org.uk/forty
We cannot thank our fantastic partners enough – without them, this wouldn’t have been possible. Thank you to Natuurhulpcentrum, British Airways Holidays, Cargolux and Shamwari Private Game Reserve.
Watch their epic journey – including the moment they took their first steps into their new home.
For more information, visit bornfree.org.uk/news/from-the-frontline-to-freedom-tsar-jamil-arrive-at-shamwari
Visiting Meru National Park and Kora National Park, in this video blog Will visits some of the sites that are integral to Born Free's history, as well as looking to the future of the next 40 years and beyond.
With your support, we can continue to protect wild animals and their habitats around the world.
Will you make a lasting difference to wild animals around the world?
Please donate today at bornfree.org.uk/forty
BCCP have recently expanded their programmes to monitor and conserve more chimpanzees, and this is the Kiraira-Kasunga group.
We've supported BCCP since 2017 and you can find out more on our website: bornfree.org.uk/news/new-group-of-chimpanzees-monitored-in-uganda
Our Animal Care Supervisor, Martin, said: “To my friend Black – you were such a special part of our lives for the past nearly nine years that I have known and took care of you. I have seen you manage to overcome huge obstacles. I will always cherish your resilience and perseverance. What a majestic lion and a great warrior! You will forever be missed, but I know you are in a better place.”
Rest in peace dear Black, we will cherish the memories 🧡
Read our full tribute to Black: bornfree.org.uk/news/farewell-black/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social
However, a life in captivity differs substantially from life in the wild. This can result in ‘zoochosis’, a phrase used to described the stereotypic behaviour that captive animals exhibit.
For more information, visit bornfree.org.uk/zoochosis
For more information on our work, visit www.bornfree.org.uk
Videos thanks to Bobby Neptune and Andrew Barret
You can read the update on these two brothers, evacuated from war-torn Ukraine here: bornfree.org.uk/news/update-on-tsar-jamil
Thanks to our incredible supporters, Tsar and Jamil will soon be moved to our Big Cat Sanctuary at Shamwari Private Game Reserve.
Here, the brothers are playing in their temporary home with our friends at Natuurhulpcentrum. This wonderful half-way house has been taking excellent care of the pair, but they've outgrown their enclosure and are ready for the next step - the spacious, natural home ready for them at our sanctuary.
We can't wait to update you when we have a date for their move!
At our sanctuary, the brothers will bask in the warmth of the South African sun and enjoy a spacious grassy enclosure.
With shady trees, undergrowth to explore and platforms to climb, Tsar and Jamil will be lavished with loving care in their new forever home – thanks to your kind donations!
Video footage thanks to Natuurhulpcentrum.
Beyond Zoos will bring together a talented and unexpected panel of global experts and thought-leaders not only to review the past, and our current situation, but look forward - to explore whether there are more effective ways to engage with people around the world to deliver a truly nature-friendly future.
Our discussions will examine the challenges that exist, identify the barriers that may currently prevent alternatives from becoming a reality, and explore effective solutions.
Born Free are calling on the UK Government to phase out the keeping of elephants in UK zoos. Sign the petition calling for an Elephant-Free UK here: support.bornfree.org.uk/page/136763/petition/1
Born Free’s two big cat sanctuaries at Shamwari Private Game Reserve are home to lions and leopards rescued from appalling captive conditions around the world.
They have come to us from zoos and circuses, or from private homes where they were kept as pets. The nature of their background means they would not be able to fend for themselves if released into the wild, so they are given expert, lifetime care in a spacious, safe and natural environment.
Learn more over on our website: bornfree.org.uk/rescue/shamwari
Poaching, habitat loss and climate change have pushed them to the brink.
But there is hope.
With your help we can run anti-poaching and de-snaring patrols and work with local communities to help them live safely alongside elephants.
Please, give if you can, and help us to save the elephant.
For more information and to donate visit www.bornfree.org.uk/hope
We campaign, we fight, we conserve, we protect, we teach, we inspire, we innovate, we rescue, we care.
Together, with you, we want to create a better future for wild animals for generations to come.
Join our pride. For more information, visit www.bornfree.org.uk
She was taken from the wild and gifted to London Zoo, and her tragic death inspired the founding of Born Free.
Today, there are still 50 elephants in 11 zoos across the UK. Enough is enough. We must phase out the keeping of elephants in zoos.
Are you with us? Sign our petition calling on Government to phase out the keeping of elephants in UK zoos: support.bornfree.org.uk/page/136763/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=YT
To learn more about the big cats that live at our sanctuary, visit our website: bornfree.org.uk/shamwari-big-cats
Videos and images thanks to Andrew Barret and Lyndon Brandt.
Read more about this peaceful demonstration here: bornfree.org.uk/news/restore-nature-now
Jora and Black are 15 years old and they were rescued from a beast wagon in Bulgaria in 2015, after spending seven years in a circus.
Find out more about our big cats at Shamwari: bornfree.org.uk/shamwari-big-cats
Video clips thanks to Andrew Barret.
Cersei was rescued from a garage in Marseille, France, in a very poor condition. She was rehabilitated at Tonga Terre d'Accueil, a wildlife rescue centre in Lyon, France, before she came to Shamwari.
Ciam was rescued from a cage in a garden in France, and he was rehabilitated at Natuurhulpcentrum, a wildlife rescue centre in Belgium, before he came to Shamwari in 2017.
This loving pair now live in a spacious, natural environment, with the space they deserve.
Meet all of our big cats at Shamwari here: bornfree.org.uk/shamwari-big-cats
Like all our big cats, Cersei and Ciam are not allowed to breed. We don't want to add to captive populations and instead we save our precious sanctuary space for animals most needing rescue.
Adopt a giraffe today! bornfree.org.uk/adopt-a-giraffe
Adopting a lion will have an incredible impact. From helping us to keep wild lions safe through monitoring and working with local communities, to supporting the rescue and lifetime care of exploited lions and helping us to campaign against trophy and canned hunting.
Adopt a lion today! bornfree.org.uk/adopt-a-lion
They monitor the populations living there, conduct de-snaring patrols to remove snares, and monitor for illegal activity. So far, they've been removing around 100 snares a month!
The Twiga Team were all recruited from the local community, and they're passionate about protecting wildlife. Learn more about this team and their work 👇
bornfree.org.uk/news/twiga-team-update
Donate at: www.bornfree.org.uk/ukraine-lion-appeal
Whilst still infants they were taken from their mother and sold to an ostrich farm in Ukraine. Under pressure from Ukraine animal welfare groups, the brothers were handed over to an animal welfare centre… but then war broke out.
Deafening shelling caused the stressed lions to panic and injure themselves. Despite appalling human heartbreak, the incredible staff at the rescue centre worked with a zoo in Poland to evacuate the brothers.
They’re now safe with our friends at Natuurhulpcentrum in Belgium, who have given them temporary refuge. But now we want to bring them to our Big Cat Sanctuary at Shamwari Private Game Reserve in South Africa, where we’ll care for them for the rest of their lives.
Can you help by donating? Every donation counts.
To donate to help us give Jamil and Tsar a forever home, visit www.bornfree.org.uk/ukraine-lion-appeal
You can add your name to the pledge to end Selfish Selfies - bornfree.org.uk/selfish-selfies
Although the terrible cramped conditions they came from left them with a lameness which has never entirely gone away, with special care this has improved.
Video thanks to Andrew Barret.
Now living at Born Free's big cat sanctuary Shamwari, this video shows Mowgli caught on camera marking his territory - a natural behaviour of leopards in the wild.
Ten cubs have already been rescued this year and, as you can see in this footage, they are tiny and fragile.
You can help us continue to support the work of OBRC by adopting the Brown Bear Orphans - www.bornfree.org.uk/adopt-a-brown-bear
Conflict with farmers, poaching, habitat destruction and exploitation in captive tiger farms are some of the reasons why this species is under threat.
Adopting a Tiger with Born Free helps us fight these threats, and protect tigers from extinction. Visit www.bornfree.org.uk/adopt-a-tiger
Adopting an elephant with Born Free will help protect elephants from these threats - visit www.bornfree.org.uk/adopt-an-elephant
Visit www.bornfree.org.uk/adopt
As humans and wildlife are forced closer together by human development and lack of resource, human-wildlife conflict is occurring more and more frequently, with often deadly consequences.
Born Free launches its End Wildlife Conflict Appeal, to fund the simple and humane solutions which can help end this conflict.
For more information, visit www.bornfree.org.uk/conflict-appeal
A year of action for lions, in honour of the 100th birthday year of our charity’s fearless founder and lionheart, Bill Travers MBE.
In this video, we look back at some of the highlights of the year, including our Lions of Lockdown, rescuing baby Simba, our travelling lions Born Free Forever, our Walk on the Wild Side, community work in Kenya and more!
Visit our website to begin using the tool and view our map highlighting some of the facilities and locations we have received reports about: bornfree.org.uk/red-flag-locations
Additional footage: Aaron Gekoski, Ian Redmond and Joanne McArthur.
#CaptivalAnimals #AnimalSuffering
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The Born Free story: bornfree.org.uk/our-history
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For enquiries, please contact Born Free here: bornfree.org.uk/contact
Our iconic Born Free Forever exhibition is off to a ROARING start in Bristol with guest appearances and many furry friends!
Head to Clifton Downs to see these beautiful bronze statues in all their glory
What a journey it’s been for this young lion! Found abandoned in a cardboard box in a garage, near Moscow, Simba was just weeks old, emaciated and mewling in distress. Thankfully he was taken in by Wild Nature Hospital in Russia who nursed him back to health but, could not give him lifetime care, so we moved Simba to a halfway house with our friends at Natuurehulpcentrum in Belgium.
After meticulous planning and the support of a generous donor, our teams worked together to safely transport Simba to his new home at Animanatura Wildlife Sanctuary in Italy! Here, under the warm Tuscan sun, we’ll provide him with the loving lifetime care he so richly deserves.
BUT at just over a year and a half old, Simba still has a lot of growing (and eating) to do! He’s currently staying in a temporary space at the sanctuary while we raise vital funds to build his safe, spacious forever home.
Will you help us Build Simba a home and provide him with specialist lifetime care? Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/3Oizqif
Please donate today to give Simba the safe and loving forever home he deserves - bornfree.org.uk/build-simba-a-home?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=build-simba-a-home&utm_content=launch-video
Virginia McKenna OBE and Will Travers OBE were joined by Thea Caine, a Born Free Junior Ambassador and wildlife artist Jane Lee McCracken to open the exhibition in Exhibition Park.
Come and admire the amazing artwork featuring stunning life-size, bronze lion sculptures created by world renowned artists Gillie and Marc Art, to raise awareness and vital funds for lions between now and the end of June 2022.
Find out more ➡️ bit.ly/3u99PkH
📹 Joel_Lowson