Born Free Foundation

Our Mission

Born Free's mission is to keep wildlife in the wild. We work tirelessly to ensure that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or in the wild, are treated with compassion and respect and are able to live their lives according to their needs. As a leading wildlife charity, we oppose the exploitation of wild animals in captivity and campaign to keep them where they belong - in the wild. We promote Compassionate Conservation to enhance the survival of threatened species in the wild and protect natural habitats while respecting the needs and safeguarding the welfare of individual animals. We seek to have a positive impact on animals in the wild and protect their ecosystems in perpetuity, for their own intrinsic value and for the critical roles they play within the natural world.

Our consistent motivation and aim since 1984 has been to protect wild animals, whether free living or in captivity. We are dedicated to the wellbeing of animals and humans, recognising that achieving co-existence is vital for the continuation of life on earth. It takes courage and determination to promote the well-being of wild animals who are unable to speak for themselves. Challenging individuals and organisations who stand in the way of improving outcomes for wild animals, local communities and the environment, is not always easy or straightforward.

We actively engage in projects that address conservation, welfare, education and policy. Conservation Born Free is committed to our global conservation projects, supporting a vast array of species from lions to elephants, gorillas and tigers, wolves and bears, to name just a few. All of these wild animals face their own particular threats and challenges which we approach according to specific need. This may include addressing habitat loss and degradation, poaching, exploitation and the wildlife trade, conflict, policy failure, or other social pressures.

Field conservation only ever has a meaningful impact if it is implemented over the long-term. Conservation often needs to take place in complex socio-political environments, where threats are constantly evolving, changing or increasing in magnitude. Born Free has a distinct track record of sustainable, long-term delivery. We have been supporting Ethiopian wolf conservation for a quarter of a century, protecting tigers in India for seventeen years, and addressing human-lion conflict mitigation in Kenya for over a decade.

Welfare Building on over three decades of experience, Born Free's animal welfare programme continues to expose captive wild animal suffering that occurs in circuses, menageries and to animals kept as 'pets' by private individuals. Whenever possible, our expert teams rescue, rehabilitate and provide lifetime care for wild animals who have been treated cruelly or captured illegally. Our ability and capacity to rescue animals, however, is all too often determined by the resources available. Long-term, sustainable investment into our animal rescue and sanctuary programmes means we can help more animals.

Education Local communities, far from being part of the problem, are, in fact, part of the solution. Born Free works with local communities to develop trust and strong working relationships through co-operation, commitment and understanding. Our investment in these relationships is vital for a future which embraces human-wildlife co-existence. Our education programmes are popular but currently limited by capacity. We are always seeking to reach more children and communities, and provide extensive educational and life-skills resources, throughout the areas in which we operate. Even small investments in education can have dramatic and lasting results and we would be delighted to talk about how you can support education, community empowerment and social change.

Wildlife Policy Born Free's wildlife policy operates at the highest levels, influencing national governments, regional associations and global entities such as the UN. Our work involves detailed research, representation and advocacy at decision-making conferences that set the international framework for the ongoing relationship between humanity, nature and the environment. . This is international work at the top table, where our vision and experience can make a real contribution. The human resources and collateral necessary to influence policy and legislation must match our ambition for a more sustainable, more compassionate, more inclusive world where people and wildlife can coexist.

Achieving Long Term Sustainable Results Since our establishment in 1984, we have achieved and continue to develop long-term, sustainable conservation, education, wild animal welfare and wildlife policy projects. Some examples of our achievements to date include: The building of over 300 predator-proof bomas ,night time stockades, in Amboseli, Kenya, which have reduced conflict and contributed to the growth of the lion population from 50 individuals in 2010 to over 200 today. Over 20 years' support for the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, whose long-term protection and monitoring programme has been vital in sustaining the 500 wild individuals that represent the most endangered canid in the world. The Satpuda Landscape Tiger Partnership brings together seven conservation organisations across central India, and works to protect wild tigers and promote co-existence. Tiger numbers in central India have increased by almost 70% in the last five years through the painstaking work of such conservation organisations. An expanding UK education programme including Creative Nature, our bi-annual publication Hear the Roar, school outreach, curriculum-driven teaching materials, conservation clubs, and the nationwide Great Debate. Since 2014, a growing international education initiative, which now works with numerous schools in many African countries to deliver activities and extra-curricular clubs, introducing over 49,000 young people and rural community members to the wealth of natural wildlife around them and inspiring the conservationists of the future. The Raise the Red Flag campaign, highlighting and exposing the suffering endured by so many wild animals in captivity, has received 35,000 public reports in 20 years. Now sponsored by BA Holidays, the interactive campaign encourages the reporting of wild animal cruelty throughout the world to increase awareness and to enable us to campaign for tougher laws and legal protections. The lifetime care in Born Free operated or supported sanctuaries of 95 rescued lions, leopards, cheetah and tigers along with countless other carnivores, primates, birds, reptiles and ungulates, offering each one the best possible care in a natural environment. Serving as the UK's zoo watchdog for more than 35 years, exposing the exploitation and poor standards that compromise the welfare of wild animals in captivity, and leading efforts to end the use of wild animals in travelling circuses across the UK. Persistent influencing of international and national legislation and policy. Outcomes include an increase of international legal protection for many species, the introduction of EU Zoos Directive, the ending of the keeping of dolphins in captivity in the UK, the banning of wild animals in circuses in several jurisdictions, the introduction of the UK Ivory Act, and the global ban on the international ivory trade, to name a few. Ongoing and effective campaigns to end cruel and unsustainable wildlife exploitation by trophy hunters, poachers and traffickers, and governments. Born Free is driven by world-class professionals. Our staff are highly-qualified and experienced in conservation, welfare, policy and education. Our team leaders include Dr Nikki Tagg (Conservation), Dr Chris Draper (Head of Animal Welfare & Captivity), Laura Gosset MSc (Head of Education) and Dr Mark Jones (Head of Policy). We have the invaluable support of our Chief Scientist Professor Claudio Sillero and of our special advisor Dr Cheryl Mvula MBE, to name just a few.

Based on decades of experience, our teams are able recognise which interventions should be prioritised for greatest impact and who to work with to achieve sustainable success. They and their teams, are supported by robust monitoring, evaluation and management systems. Our Executive President, Will Travers, has built up an unparalleled network of contacts over more than three decades at Born Free.

The Foundation is guided by a Board of Directors who contribute their time and expertise from a range of disciplines including law, finance, animal advocacy, public speaking, media, business, personal development and executive recruitment.

Population expansion, global industrialisation, land conversion and infrastructure development; along with pollution, climate change, over-exploitation, and conflict with people, mean wild animal populations are increasingly under threat. A million species are now believed to be threatened with extinction. Born Free is committed to addressing the well-being of all wild animals and with best practice, compassion and integrity we will endeavour to keep wildlife in the wild.