Born Free

Born Free is an international wildlife charity, founded in 1984, that rescues and protects wild animals from exploitation and works to conserve threatened species and the habitats they depend on.

Born Free confronts a set of connected crises: wild animals held captive in zoos, aquaria and entertainment, the illegal and unethical wildlife trade, habitat loss and climate change, and the growing friction where people and wildlife compete for the same space. Underpinning all of it is a simple conviction, that wild animals belong in the wild and should not suffer for human entertainment or profit.

The charity works across several fronts. It runs conservation projects on the ground in partnership with local communities, intervenes directly to rescue animals in distress, and helps people and wildlife coexist. Its campaigns press for change, including efforts to phase out the keeping of whales and dolphins, big cats and elephants, and to end exploitative wildlife tourism.