Born Free Foundation
Encyclopedia
The Born Free Foundation is a conservation and animal rescue organization in the United Kingdom
. It originated in 1984 as the "Zoo Check Campaign" by actors Virginia McKenna
and her husband Bill Travers
along with their son Will Travers and four associates.
which told the story of George
and Joy Adamson
as they returned Elsa the Lioness
to the wilds of Africa
. They appeared in several more films about animals and produced wildlife and anti-zoo documentaries for television.
The Born Free Foundation Limited was officially established on 20 July 1998, and as an umbrella organisation it consists today of the Zoo Check Campaign, Elefriends Campaign, Wolf Campaign, Dolphin Campaign, Primate Campaign, Big Cat Campaign, and the Bear Campaign. It is a charity registered in England & Wales.
The Born Free Foundation undertakes animal welfare, conservation and public awareness campaigns to prevent animal abuse and to keep wildlife in its natural habitat. Its logo is a lion, which its website states is a likeness of Elsa.
The foundation, which is part of the International Tiger Coalition (ITC), has two big cat sanctuaries in South Africa
at the Shamwari Game Reserve
in the Eastern Cape. Several lions and leopards have been rescued from appalling conditions all over the world and returned to their native home: Africa. The two sanctuaries also serve as education centres for school children from all over. Up to 500 scholars visit the centres each month.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. It originated in 1984 as the "Zoo Check Campaign" by actors Virginia McKenna
Virginia McKenna
Virginia A. McKenna OBE is a British stage and screen actress, author and wildlife campaigner.-Early career:McKenna trained as an actress at the Central School of Speech and Drama then worked on stage in London's West End theatres before making her motion picture debut in 1952...
and her husband Bill Travers
Bill Travers
William Lindon-Travers was an English actor, screenwriter, director and an animal rights activist, known professionally as Bill Travers.-Life and career:...
along with their son Will Travers and four associates.
Creation
McKenna and Travers had been greatly affected by the plight of wild animals after starring together in the 1966 film Born FreeBorn Free
Born Free is a 1966 British drama film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers as Joy and George Adamson, a real-life couple who raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphaned lion cub, to adulthood, and released her into the wilds of Kenya. The movie was produced by Open Road Films Ltd. and Columbia...
which told the story of George
George Adamson
George Adamson , also known as the "Baba ya Simba" , was a British wildlife conservationist and author...
and Joy Adamson
Joy Adamson
Joy Adamson was a naturalist, artist, and author best known for her book, Born Free, which describes her experiences raising a lion cub named Elsa...
as they returned Elsa the Lioness
Elsa the lioness
Elsa the lioness was raised by game warden George Adamson and his wife Joy Adamson in Kenya. Elsa and her two sisters, 'Big One' and 'Lustica', first came under the care of the Adamsons when only a few weeks old. They had become orphaned when George was reluctantly forced to kill their mother...
to the wilds of Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. They appeared in several more films about animals and produced wildlife and anti-zoo documentaries for television.
The Born Free Foundation Limited was officially established on 20 July 1998, and as an umbrella organisation it consists today of the Zoo Check Campaign, Elefriends Campaign, Wolf Campaign, Dolphin Campaign, Primate Campaign, Big Cat Campaign, and the Bear Campaign. It is a charity registered in England & Wales.
The Born Free Foundation undertakes animal welfare, conservation and public awareness campaigns to prevent animal abuse and to keep wildlife in its natural habitat. Its logo is a lion, which its website states is a likeness of Elsa.
The foundation, which is part of the International Tiger Coalition (ITC), has two big cat sanctuaries in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
at the Shamwari Game Reserve
Shamwari Game Reserve
Shamwari Game Reserve is located in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape, South Africa. It is part of the Mantis Group and has been voted the World's Leading game reserve and conservation company for many consecutive years ....
in the Eastern Cape. Several lions and leopards have been rescued from appalling conditions all over the world and returned to their native home: Africa. The two sanctuaries also serve as education centres for school children from all over. Up to 500 scholars visit the centres each month.