News & Updates

Late last March, in partnership with the Kenya Wildlife Service, Born Free conducted a second animal ground census to establish the number of carnivore and herbivore species during the dry season in Meru Park. We had undertaken the pioneer ground count in September 2016.

The beginning of the end of circuses with wild animals in Spain. Last week a Spanish circus agreed to hand over all its animals and end its use of animals. The two lions from the circus have since been rehomed at the AAP Primadomus Foundation, located near Alicante.

The captivity industry in Mexico has appeared to have derailed an initiative by Mexico’s Green Party in trying to prevent the phasing-out of dolphin captivity. The result could mean many more years of exploitation for captive dolphins in Mexico.

It has been reported that a male lion has attacked a circus trainer during a performance in Doullens, northern France, on Sunday 7th May 2017.

Outdated legislation, which has regulated dolphinaria in France since 1981, has finally been updated and includes a breeding ban for captive dolphins across France.

China’s mission to the European Union has urged the EU and European Countries to take ‘credible steps’ to effectively ban trade in ivory and ivory products. In a letter to British Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Catherine Bearder, who chairs the MEPs for Wildlife group, China’s Ambassador to the EU Yang Yani described in detail the action China is taking to bring an end to the commercial processing and sale of ivory and ivory products. In December 2016 Chinese Authorities announced their intention to close down their domestic ivory trade by the end of this year.

An imposing fig tree once stood here, thriving in health, beauty and vigour and surrounded by smaller indigenous trees. Ngaya Forest was the hub of ambience and serenity with its branches offering cool shelter for all. It was a perfect place to recharge the soul and uplift the spirit. Pregnant elephants ambled here to give birth, hence its reference as the elephant maternity.

Born Free is extremely concerned about the new captive tiger facility reportedly being built in Kanchanaburi, Thailand. A company called ‘Golden Tiger Co. Ltd’ has been granted a provisional licence to build and operate a ‘zoo’, which apparently plans to hold hundreds of tigers. We understand that there may also be plans for this zoo to use tigers as ‘props’ for souvenir tourist photographs and visitor interaction activities.

A polar bear has died at SeaWorld San Diego this week. The 21-year-old female, Szenja, had been without her friend Snowflake for two months after Snowflake was shipped to a zoo in Pittsburgh for breeding purposes. Following the separation of the two companions, Szenja’s keepers said she had been showing signs of lethargy and loss of appetite. SeaWorld has said that it could be several weeks before the cause of death is determined, whilst there is even speculation that it was sheer loneliness and boredom that killed Szenja.

News of the death of a tourist who had posed for a photograph with an Indian cobra, again highlights the dangers of interactions between people and wild animals. Born Free is deeply concerned about the recent surge in reports of unsuspecting tourists being injured, or worse, following interactions with wild animals whilst on holiday. In particular, people are being placed at risk of injury when encouraged to hold or pose with a wild animal for a souvenir photograph. Wild animals are naturally unpredictable and potentially dangerous.