In 1964, Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna starred in the film ‘Born Free’, which told the true story of George and Joy Adamson as they returned Elsa the lioness to the wild. The Adamsons devoted their lives to the protection of lions and other species and their amazing story was an inspiration, changing the world’s attitude to wildlife for ever.

The Born Free Foundation is an international wildlife charity working with compassion to prevent cruelty, alleviate suffering and encourage everyone to treat all individual animals with respect. Born Free believes wildlife belongs in the wild and is dedicated to the conservation of rare species in their natural habitat, and the phasing out of traditional zoos. Charity registration no.1070906

Throughout the world, millions of wild animals are exploited for human ’entertainment’ in slum zoos, abusive circuses and sickening animal shows. The suffering is devastating. Pitiful animals kept in filthy, barren, concrete enclosures – isolated, deprived, behaving abnormally. Or forced to perform degrading cruel tricks – imagine the harsh training methods. Or taken from their mothers, claws and teeth extracted, and drugged for tourist photos. Individual animals brutalised for human recreation.