Born Free Adopt Magazine - Autumn 2019

MAGAZINE

ADOPT

AUTUMN 2019

Latest news on your adopted animal

ON HER WAY BACK HOME tiMtoM is tHriving

BABY NAMES new naMe for springer’s baby

ELUSIVE GOPAL

PLUS

can you spot our tiger?

MfalMe is king ewok’s ele crew new gorilla baby bear cub bonanza keep wilDlife in tHe wilD

issue 13

WELCOME A warm welcome to your autumn update! Here you can find out about all the fascinating things the animal you adopt has been up to over the last few months.

Whether you care for a named individual in a sanctuary or safeguard an entire family in the wild, your adoption is priceless. You help our dedicated team of carers and rangers look after and protect these awesome animals – thank you! I hope you enjoy their latest news and pictures, and don’t forget to turn the pages to discover some other species we watch over.

Cover story Just a baby when taken from her mother, Timtom was kept illegally as a pet. Thankfully, she was rescued and today receives expert care at a release camp in Borneo. Here, this young orangutan is gradually learning the skills needed for life back in the wild, where she belongs.

Cover photo © Orangutan Foundation

Tall story Exciting news from West Africa. Aided by adopters, a new population of the world’s rarest giraffes has been successfully established, in an area they used to roam.

Excited to see giraffes return, local people are keeping a protective eye.

© GCF/SCF

Will Travers OBE President & Co-Founder

© G Roberts

Thank you for adopting an animal with Born Free. Your generous help is making the world a kinder place for wildlife, one animal at a time!

CONTENTS 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 28 30 32 34 36 38 40 42 44

king the lion sinbad the lion elsa’s pride gopal the tiger the leopard family the cheetah family the Jaguar family the elephant family Madhavi the elephant the giraffe family timtom the orangutan Mugaruka & chimanuka the gorillas chinoise & eve the chimps sara & afrika the chimps the pangolin family springer the orca & her calves the ethiopian wolf family bodo the moon bear kyriakos the brown bear get involved new born free campaign

CONTRIBUTORS Maggie Balaskas Animal Rescue & Care Manager Samantha Goddard Campaigns Officer Manori Gunawardena Country Representative Sri Lanka Emily Neil Conservation Assistant Prof Claudio Sillero Chief Scientist

Born Free is an international wildlife charity. We work tirelessly to ensure all wild animals, whether living in captivity or in the wild, are treated with compassion and respect. We oppose the exploitation of wild animals in captivity and campaign to Keep Wildlife in the Wild.

Adopt is published in March and September each year.

Editor: Celia Nicholls, celia@bornfree.org.uk Design: Claire Stanford, claire@bornfree.org.uk Born Free Foundation, Broadlands Business Campus, Langhurstwood Road, Horsham RH12 4QP. 01403 240170 info@bornfree.org.uk www.bornfree.org.uk Charity No:1070906 Printed on recycled paper None of our rescued animals in permanent care are allowed to breed; we vasectomise males or spay/give hormone implants to females. We do not want to add to the captive population, plus sanctuary space is in short supply, so we keep these precious spaces for animals most needing rescue.

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KING

Latest news on king the lion

04 king | AUTUMN 2019

SHAMWARI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE SOUTH AFRICA We recently received a heart-warming report about your adopted lion from Glen Vena, our dedicated Animal Care Manager at Shamwari Private Game Reserve. “We are busy improving our sanctuary and King has been moved into a temporary home while work is underway. It’s so exciting seeing everything that’s already been completed at the Jean Byrd Centre, in the north of the reserve. King is still based here – we have two rescue facilities at Shamwari – but he now lives in an enclosure which years ago belonged to Kuma, one of Born Free’s first rescued leopards.

“It does my heart good to see King thriving in his new home – I love to watch him as he explores every inch of his enclosure. His favourite spot of all is perched high up on the platform of his wooden climbing frame. This gives him a great view of the hills and diverse wildlife in the reserve. King is just fascinated by everything going on around him.

“Although he is definitely maturing, and becoming much more aloof and private, King can still have a mischievous streak.

He keeps a beady eye on the birds that land in his enclosure and is very quick to jump up and run as fast as he can to chase them off. I think his hunting instincts are starting to kick in, but the birds are far too quick for him!”

KING’S STORY King was a cub when taken from his mother to be kept as a pet. He was found, half-starved and lonely, in a dirty cage in an apartment near Paris.

But, with the help of our colleagues at 30 Millions d’Amis Foundation and Natuurhulpcentrum, today he enjoys life at Born Free’s sanctuary Before Born Free in South Africa.

EXOTIC PETS It is staggering that lion cubs are still finding their way into the pet trade in Europe. Tragically, millions of wild animals around the world, including lizards and monkeys, are kept as pets, many illegally – like King. Born Free is working hard to tackle the illegal wildlife trade.

Wild animals, whether wild-caught or bred in captivity, have complex needs and can greatly suffer when kept as pets.

Images © F30MA, A Lederer, BF Shamwari

AUTUMN 2019 | king 05

SINBAD Latest news on sinbad the lion

SINBAD’S STORY Sinbad, born in 2001, is half the size of a normal lion due to his poor early diet. In 2007 he was rescued from a bleak cage in a squalid zoo in Romania, where he endured freezing winters. Today, his life transformed, he lives in a spacious enclosure in the warmth of the African sun.

06 sinbaD | AUTUMN 2019

Before Born Free

SHAMWARI PRIVATE Our Animal Care Manager Glen Vena has sent through a report on your adopted Sinbad. “Although it has been hard for Sinbad, losing Achee recently, I know you will be relieved to hear he seems to have mostly adjusted quite well. He generally looks content and handsome with his full mane reaching all the way to his belly.

“But we who know him well, see there is something missing in his life. Since Achee’s passing he seems more reserved and a little slower, generally keeping to the middle of his main enclosure. But we also see him spending time where he can watch his four lion neighbours. Jerry, rescued from a Romanian zoo, shares an enclosure next door with sisters Maggie and Sonja rehomed from a circus in Germany, while Nelson – from a French zoo – lives alone. Sinbad especially enjoys Maggie and Sonja’s company, but then Jerry can get territorial and protective, waiting until Sinbad walks away.

“Once all our daily tasks have been completed, I like to spend an hour or two just observing the cats. We keep an especially close eye on Sinbad and do everything we can to ensure he is content.

Achee is now resting in our garden of remembrance at the Julie Ward Centre.

Although it was hard to lose her, we take comfort in knowing that she and the other big cats we have cared for over the years all had the best possible life at Shamwari – a world away from the unacceptable conditions they came from.”

GAME RESERVE SOUTH AFRICA CARING FOR CATS IN SOUTH AFRICA Shamwari is the biggest wildlife reserve in the Eastern Cape and home to a huge range of wild animals as well as two Born Free sanctuaries. Here,12 rescued lions and three leopards receive lifetime care in expansive bush enclosures three to four acres in size, while visitors, students and local school children learn about Born Free and our work to care for individuals and protect populations in the wild.

LIONS WE HAVE LOST We are devastated to report the loss of three of our beloved lions in recent months, who each died after short illnesses. Achee, rescued from a Romanian car park in 2004, shared an enclosure with Sinbad. Dolo, who had been kept on a one-metre chain, arrived at our sanctuary in Ethiopia in 2007. He shared a spacious enclosure with Safia, also kept as a pet, who was rescued in 2009. Each one is sorely missed, but we are so glad they enjoyed years of expert care at our sanctuaries, thanks to your incredible support.

AUTUMN 2019 | sinbaD 07

ELSA’S PRIDE Latest news on elsa’s pride

THEIR STORY Elsa’s Pride is one of the oldest lion families in Meru. Born Free is working with Kenya Wildlife Service to protect them in this national park in central Kenya. It was here that George and Joy Adamson returned Elsa the lioness to the wild, as featured in the book and film Born Free, and the pride is named in her honour.

08 elsa’s priDe | AUTUMN 2019

The mighty lion king Mfalme

Good news – all three adult females in Elsa’s Pride have cubs! Makena has her paws full with three little males, now about 14 months old. Elsa has a two-month-old, and Liz two two-month-olds. Proud father to all these youngsters is Mfalme – a prominent dark-maned lion who took over the pride in 2017.

MERU NATIONAL PARK KENYA when he was spotted, walking alone, with a wound on his hind leg. The Pride of Meru team suspect he got into a fight with the pair, and are closely monitoring the situation.

Mfalme might be king, but is constantly challenged by other males. Four relatively young lions called The Nairobi Boys recently tried their luck taking over his vast territory. They fought Mfalme in Mughwango Swamp but were inexperienced and were overpowered – despite it being four against one! It could be years before they are in their prime and ready to try again.

This could be dangerous for Mfalme’s six offspring – a male taking over a pride may try to kill existing cubs. But Makena has been cleverly protecting her three cubs, distancing herself from them and mingling with the two nomadic males. This decreases the cubs’ chances of being killed. Makena sneaks back to give her cubs food, even making a buffalo kill for them this month. What fascinating lion behaviour!

Two other young males named Solio and Mang’erete have also been patrolling the periphery of Mfalme’s territory, penetrating it for the first time in May. Mfalme went missing around this time until early July,

Through your support, we can monitor your pride and gain deeper understandings of its structure and dynamics with others in the ecosystem. This helps us develop effective conservation measures – thank you! EN

KENYA’S LIONS

Elsa and her cub

Kenya is home to about 2,000 wild lions with around 80 lions living in Meru.

Covering an area of 540 square miles (870km2), Meru is one of Kenya’s best known national parks and about 200 miles (350km) north of Nairobi. With plenty of rainfall, the park has tall grass, abundant vegetation and lush swamps, plus a wide range of species including elephants, cheetah, rhino and hippo.

AUTUMN 2019 | elsa’s priDe 09

GOPAL

Latest news on Gopal the tiger

GOPAL’S STORY Wild-born Gopal came to live at our sanctuary having come into conflict with people after preying on cattle and goats. Sadly he had been injured and was at risk of being killed when captured by the Indian authorities. They considered it too risky to release him back to the wild. So in 2014, Born Free gave him a lifetime home.

10 GOPAL | AUTUMN 2019

Gopal looks magnificent amongst the natural habitat of his enclosure – his stripes and colour patterns provide great camouflage in the forest. Gopal can be elusive, and even the animal care team find him hard to spot amongst the shadows.

During hotter times, Gopal spends most of his day resting in the shade or submerged in his water pool. When cooler, at dawn and dusk, he grooms his coat then roams his spacious enclosure to investigate new scents, claw trees and scent mark his territory.

Earlier in the summer, your tiger had a routine heath check. This was a great opportunity for the vet team to check his teeth, eyes and ears, as well as his overall health. Gopal was given medication to treat any parasites and booster vaccinations to protect him from potential diseases. The vet team also took blood samples to run routine tests to check all his organs were functioning as they should. I am sure you’ll be delighted that Gopal was given a clean bill of health!

To help enrich his life, the animal care team are always looking for new places to hide meat for Gopal to seek out. Recently, they discovered a great place in the deep ridge of a big boulder in his enclosure. Gopal spent some time searching, but soon managed to sniff the food out. When he found the meat, he had to wrestle it out, using his jaws and claws to pull it out onto the boulder before devouring his meal. In addition to his varied meat diet, Gopal has special supplementation to ensure he gets all the nutrients he needs, plus a probiotic to support gut health. Thank you for helping provide such important care for this big cat. MB BF/Wildlife SOS

BANNERGHATTA TIGER SANCTUARY INDIA GOODBYE JASPER We are so sorry to report the sad loss of our precious tiger Jasper. Rescued as a small cub in 1998, Jasper had a long and happy life at Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre in Cambodia, living in a spacious forested enclosure. With the aid of his loyal adopters, Jasper received expert care for over 20 years. He enjoyed a slower pace of life in his golden years, but still patrolled his territory every day. Jasper, you will be sorely missed.

So well camouflaged in the shadows AUTUMN 2019 | GOPAL 11

LEOPARD FAMILY Latest news on The Leopard Family Glen Vena is our remarkable Animal Care Manager, who has been working for Born Free since 2000, having first volunteered on Shamwari’s student programme. He cares deeply for the cats and understands their unique personalities better than anyone else. Glen recently sent me a report on your leopards. “We are busy improving our facilities and mother and daughter Leda and Rhea seem to be fine in their newly refurbished enclosure.

“Rhea looks exceptionally well for an elderly cat that had an operation a few months ago – our vet Dr Johan Joubert carefully removed two small tumours.

Today, she is lively and full of energy. What a fighter! Our team often see her sunning herself on the deck of her climbing frame, keeping an eye on King the young rescued lion who lives next door. She also likes to lie camouflaged amongst the dense undergrowth, which makes her difficult to spot. Visitors to Shamwari are lucky if they can glimpse her, but do better with Leda. She walks around her enclosure, sniffing the air and just taking everything in around her.

“They both seem intrigued by all the activities currently underway at the sanctuary, including dismantling the guests’ viewing deck to build a new, 12 LEOPARD FAMILY | AUTUMN 2019

improved one. Leda was there all the time watching every move made! Meanwhile, Sami seems to be coping on his own. He was hand-reared when rescued in 2001 and still has an interest in people. When we get a minute, we sit near him and talk, while he watches us and purrs and rolls around. His meow-like sounds are just enough to melt your heart!” MB

THEIR STORY Our leopards live in spacious bush enclosures, full of shady shrubs and dense undergrowth. They include Sami, rescued when found as a cub in the Sudanese desert back in 2001.

Plus mother and daughter Leda and Rhea, who came from Limassol Zoo, Cyprus in 2009.

SHAMWARI PRIVATE GAME RESERVE SOUTH AFRICA

LEOPARDS UNDER THREAT Leopards are formidable hunters who rely on stealth, camouflage and lightning reactions. They are the most widespread and adaptable of big cats, but many populations are under threat due to human pressures, while captive leopards are exploited in zoos and circuses. Leopards are classed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Image © www.georgelogan.co.uk

Images © XXXX

AUTUMN 2019 | LEOPARD FAMILY 13

CHEETAH FAMILY

Latest news on The Cheetah Family

THEIR STORY

Before Born Free

Most members of our extended family were victims of the exotic pet trade and stolen from the wild as cubs. Many were rescued in Somaliland by our friends at Agro Action and were being illegally sold.

Happily, at our centre they have recovered and, split into males and females, live in spacious, tree-filled enclosures with undergrowth to explore and plenty of room to run.

14 CHEETAH FAMILY | AUTUMN 2019

It’s been a busy few months for your Cheetah Family. We’re delighted to report their new enclosure has been completed.

This project had been delayed by heavy rains during last year’s wet reason, which made setting foundations a challenge and, unfortunately, civil unrest in Ethiopia delayed materials being delivered to the centre.

Thankfully, after a huge effort from our brilliant construction team, under the watchful eye of Centre Technical Manager, Bereket Girma, the cheetahs now have an even more spacious, new home.

Animal Rescue and Care Manager, Maggie Balaskas, headed out to Ensessa Kotteh to help the Animal Care team move the cheetah into their new home. This coincided with routine health checks, to ensure the cheetahs are fit and healthy.

These were done under anaesthetic and a huge undertaking. “It was such a privilege to see the cheetah so closely,” Maggie explained. “Their coats and eyes really are beautiful and their bodies are certainly built for speed!” She monitored each cheetah as they came round. “I was pleased to see

ENSESSA KOTTEH RESCUE CENTRE ETHIOPIA them recover quickly, the wait is quite unnerving. Hailu was the quickest to wake up, but it wasn’t long before each cheetah sat up, then stood up and regained their balance.”

The next morning the cheetah were let out into their new enclosure for the first time.

They tentatively stepped out of their night houses and looked around, before starting to explore. Hissy Spitty was the first to venture into the new space. She stepped out with no fear and started sniffing around.

Miremba and then the other cheetah soon followed. Over the coming days the cheetahs ventured further afield in their new enclosure, investigating hiding spaces, trees and platforms. It is fantastic to see them in their new home, but this wouldn’t have been possible without you, our wonderful supporters. Thank you!

Miremba explores her vast new home AUTUMN 2019 | CHEETAH FAMILY 15

JAGUAR FAMILY

Latest news on The Jaguar Family

THEIR STORY The Jaguar Family lives in the Yungas, a band of forest in north west Argentina.

The world’s southernmost jaguars, their range has shrunk by 95% and they are critically endangered in Argentina. Since 2011, Jaguars in the Fringe has worked to secure their survival – targeting conflict through education and improved livestock practices to dissuade ranchers from killing these big cats. Born Free supports Dr Pablo Perovic as he protects jaguars in Calilegua and Baritu National Parks.

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Pablo installs a camera trap

Jaguar champion Dr Pablo Perovic is devoted to studying and protecting jaguars.

To learn about their behaviour his team use camera traps – triggered by movement – to remotely photograph jaguars and their prey species. I recently received a report from Pablo with some exciting news.

“After three days of walking into the Yungas, our team was ready to install some new camera traps. The first two days they had found plenty of jaguar footprints, but from the moment they entered Laguna de Pingascayo, the evidence dried out. It seemed counterintuitive, the more remote and protected the area, the more they should have seen, not less tigres (as jaguars are locally known). The rockier terrain and steep brooks reduced the substrate for footprints, but finding none was very rare indeed.

“But while walking along a narrow brook with steep margins, a series of very loud noises were heard, rocks moving, sticks breaking and, at the next meander, a tapir came galloping towards the team. They jumped to the side just in time, and one of them even managed to touch the tapir. A few seconds later, a very slight scrambling sound preceded a jaguar chasing after the tapir.

He suddenly stopped his run, greatly surprised to see a tapir transforming... into people! He paused for a few moments, then disappeared into the thickets.”

Well done Pablo and team, what a wonderful and memorable experience! It is such a pleasure to support the important work of these intrepid scientists. As you can see, when monitoring jaguars, they often have to walk long distances, carrying equipment and

YUNGAS FOREST ARGENTINA food for several days. But, with your help, this work will now be easier and can be carried out on horseback, thanks to the recent arrival of two mares Copito and Virginia. CS New team members Copito and Virginia

MEET THE JAGUAR The largest cat in the Americas, jaguars featured in ancient Maya and Aztecs mythologies as a symbol of strength.

They ambush prey, leaping into water or from a tree. Jaguars once roamed from Arizona to Patagonia’s Rio Colorado, but now occupy less than half this range. Argentine forests are cleared for soybean mono-culture and tigres – as they are locally known – are hunted in retaliation for livestock losses. Under threat from both habitat loss and persecution, with the right support their range and numbers can increase again. © E White

AUTUMN 2019 | JAGUAR FAMILY 17

ELEPHANT FAMILY Latest news on The Elephant Family

Edwina with son Ekopo and daughter Elana

THEIR STORY The world famous EB Elephant Family were stars of the BBC’s Echo of the Elephants TV series. They flourished under the leadership of matriarch Echo until her death in 2009. Today, the family has dozens of members including Echo’s sisters, daughters, granddaughters and calves. One EB sub-group is led by Edwina, Echo’s granddaughter, born in 1982.

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Our friend Cynthia Moss first met Echo and her EB Elephant Family back in August 1973.

The family has changed quite a bit over the past 46 years, growing so large it has split into three sub groups, led by Ella, Edwina, and Enid. The group led by Ella usually stays in Selengei, but recently came back for a visit after a two-year absence. Edwina and Enid’s groups stay more resident in Amboseli, but disappeared in May. Rains were late and quite poor, so they probably took their families to find food in neighbouring Tanzania. Edwina then returned on 3rd July.

AMBOSELI Edwina’s independent character is one of the things we love about her, and something she passes on to her daughters. Most females stick close to their mothers, but Edwina’s daughters – Elif, Elana, Elaine and Europa – often spend time away. Edwina and her family are doing extraordinarily well.

Elana was mated in January 2018 and may have a calf sometime in October. Elif turns nine this year, so we can expect her to have her first oestrus any time from now – or she might even be pregnant already. At 36, Edwina has at least 10 years to have more calves, and may continue to reproduce well into her 50s or even 60s.

Ewok has been spending time with his second cousins Eleanor and Echeri on the western side of the park, before they headed back to Tanzania. He is getting big and doing well. Eleanor and Echeri aren't his closest relatives, but they have male calves of a similar age so he is getting plenty of family time, even without his mum Emily Kate, who very sadly died in 2017. EN

NATIONAL PARK KENYA INCREDIBLE ELEPHANTS Elephants are the largest of all land animals. Two species exist in Africa and one in Asia. Elephants are exploited by people both in the wild and in captivity.

Born Free fights captive exploitation and the ivory trade – poachers kill elephants for their tusks to supply ruthless dealers, and numbers are plummeting throughout Africa. In August 2019, the trade in live baby elephants was banned.

© ATE, www.georgelogan.co.uk

It’s great to see Ewok looking so well

AUTUMN 2019 | ELEPHANT FAMILY 19

MADHAVI Latest news on Madhavi the elephant

MADHAVI’S STORY Madhavi was just 18 months old when found alone in 2016.

We don’t know what happened to her family, but she was far too young to survive on her own. Fortunately she was When rescued rescued by the Elephant Transit Home which cares for orphaned elephants and returns them to the wild when they are ready.

20 MADHAVI | AUTUMN 2019

The past few months have been one of the driest seasons on record for the Uda Walawe National Park and this has had a big impact on the adjacent Elephant Transit Home. The giant irrigation reservoir by the home has receded to a small lake, the surrounding grasslands turned yellow and the shrubs a brittle brown. During this hot dry time, your elephant Madhavi likes to cool off in the heat of the day with a quick dip in the fast receding reservoir, together with the rest of the Elephant Transit Home herd.

Madhavi will then scuff up the yellowing grass for the rest of the day. Such foraging for food is an important skill for baby elephants to learn from their peers. So your orphan – now one of the seniors in the herd – is eagerly watched by a group of youngsters, keen on learning this feeding strategy. Madhavi is expert in the art of scuffing up grass with the foreleg, gathering it up into a bite-sized sphere, and shaking off the loose soil before putting it into her mouth. The younger ones, trunks outstretched, taste the fallen bits of grass, learning as they would from their mother or auntie in a herd living in the wild.

ELEPHANT TRANSIT HOME SRI LANKA ELEPHANT CONFLICT Elephants need large amounts of space, food and water to survive. There are fewer than 50,000 Asian elephants, less than a tenth of the African population. These elephants are under serious threat, mostly from impacts on their habitat from development and an expanding human population. Sri Lanka is a relatively small country with a high human population density and around 6,000 elephants. This can lead to conflict, with injury and death on both sides, as elephants can wander close to human settlements and raid crops.

Born Free works to find solutions so that people and elephants can live together harmoniously.

So your elephant Madhavi has a very important role in nurturing and teaching the younger recruits on how to survive in these lean times. A vital skill to develop when faced with the challenges of living in the wild.

Madhavi and the other older female elephant calves at the Elephant Transit Home are the trainers. Once timid and hesitant, your Madhavi is now a confident young female anchoring the herd. Thank you for helping make this transformation possible. It is wonderful to see and great preparation for when, one day, she is ready to be returned to the wild. MG AUTUMN 2019 | MADHAVI 21

GIRAFFE FAMILY Latest news on The Giraffe Family

THEIR STORY Niger is home to a population of West African giraffes. Facing some tough challenges, this is the rarest sub-species of giraffes in the world. Just a few hundred individuals live in an 840km2 area close to the capital city Niamey. The giraffes are well adapted to a dry climate and sparse vegetation, but habitat loss and conflict with people can be a problem.

This year, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, together with the Niger government, Sahara Conservation Fund and a team of specialists, established a second population of giraffes in the Gadabedji Biosphere Reserve in Niger – some 800 miles away from the Giraffe Zone. While the original population continues to prosper, the new group seems to be happily settling into its new environment. After spending the first weeks exploring the area – including far outside the reserve, they are now mostly sticking together in the central zone of the reserve, close to a waterhole.

Exciting activities have also been ongoing in the Giraffe Zone. For the second year in a row, we co-ordinated a giraffe survey.

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These surveys give important data on giraffe movements during the hot dry period and help us understand their social structure. We photograph and identify each and every giraffe, particularly newborns, to build their individual identification database. This is always a job! This year, we observed 249 giraffes in 13 days. Many new, never seen before giraffe were spotted, half of which were babies. This is fantastic!

To date, 2019 has been full of exciting and positive news and in Niger we are making important steps towards a brighter future for the conservation of the last West African giraffes. A big thanks to all supporters and in particular you, the Born Free adopters, for helping us making this happen! EN

KOURE PLATEAU AND NORTH DALLOL NIGER

EXTRAORDINARY ANIMALS The giraffes’ giant size helps them reach leaves on top of trees, too high for smaller animals. Giraffes might seem fragile, but they are strong and fast. A well-placed kick could shatter the skull of a predatory lion. Giraffes are under pressure, both in captivity where they are exploited in zoos and circuses, and in the wild. Wild giraffes have been extensively hunted for their meat, but today their main threat is loss of suitable habitat. At a recent international wildlife meeting, giraffes were granted greater protection from international trade.

Images © GCF/SCF

AUTUMN 2019 | GIRAFFE FAMILY 23

TIMTOM Latest news on Timtom the orangutan

TIMTOM’S STORY Timtom was just a baby when taken from her mother and illegally kept as a pet. Infant orangutans would naturally stay with their mothers for up to eight years, so you can imagine how distressing this would have been. Fortunately Timtom was rescued by our colleagues at the Orangutan Foundation and now lives at Camp JL in Borneo. Here she is receiving expert care and is gradually being prepared for life back in the wild where she belongs.

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CAMP JL RELEASE CAMP When you see little Timtom rolling in the leaves and sand, playing in her old rubber tyre swing, and chasing her orangutan friends through the lush green trees of Indonesian Borneo, you might never guess that she had a traumatic start to life. Who could imagine that this young orangutan was just nine months old when she was ripped from her mother and kept illegally as a pet?

Fortunately, thanks to our friends at the Orangutan Foundation, Timtom is now safe – and flourishing. Your adoption helps fund her care while she and other young orangutans take part in a soft release programme. She is healthy and well cared for and, slowly but surely, learning the skills she needs to survive in the wild. She can now forage and find wild-growing uber fruit – important steps towards independence!

Timtom may be growing and maturing, but she’s still as fun and mischievous as ever.

Her favourite game is to climb part way up a tree and then drop to the ground when the assistant’s back is turned, rolling around in the leaves and sand. She loves water and knows that this a quick way to get a bath in the river. She also enjoys holding the assistant’s hand as they walk back to her enclosure after playtime.

We’re excited to report that Shifa, a six-yearold orphan orangutan, was successfully released into the Lamandau Wildlife Reserve in June. This beautiful reserve will also one day be Timtom’s home. Some 600 orangutans live here, and amazingly, half of them were rescued and released,

LAMANDAU WILDLIFE RESERVE INDONESIA BORNEO re-establishing a large and healthy wildlife population. This means that your adoption not only helps Timtom, but also supports the conservation of the critically endangered Bornean orangutan species. EN

Timtom’s carers keep a watchful eye

MEET THE FAMILY Asia’s only great ape, orangutans were once distributed widely across south east Asia, but today are confined to Borneo and Sumatra. In tropical rainforests, they spend 90% of their lives high in the canopy. Mainly eating fruit, they play a vital role in seed dispersal and are semi-solitary, with females and offspring having the closest bonds. All three species – the Sumatran, Bornean and Tapanuli – are critically endangered, under threat from deforestation, poaching and the pet trade. Born Free works to protect wild populations and fight captive exploitation.

Images © Orangutan Foundation

AUTUMN 2019 | TIMTOM 25

MUGARUKA & CHIMANUKA Latest news on Mugaruka & Chimanuka the gorillas

THEIR STORIES Mugaruka and Chimanuka are a pair of rare eastern lowland gorillas, living in the mountain rainforests of a vast 6,000km2 park, in eastern DRC. Both are massive, powerful adult males, known as silverbacks. Mugaruka lost a hand in a poacher’s snare and – unable to defend a family – mostly lives alone. Chimanuka lives together with his large family, a harem of females and their offspring. Since 2000, Born Free has supported a team of brave rangers who risk their lives to protect these gorillas from poachers.

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Mugaruka

Your adopted gorilla Mugaruka is now 32 years old – the oldest silverback of all the families followed at Kahuzi-Biega National Park. He likes to keep to himself and often roams outside the park, but sadly this year his range was disrupted. Indigenous communities destroyed a large area of forest for charcoal production, including some of Mugaruka’s preferred habitat.

The team are working hard to encourage local people to help protect the forests and gorillas and, surprisingly, Mugaruka appears to be rather unbothered. He continues to move freely into fields and tea plantations adjacent to the national park, sometimes even crossing paths with plantation workers and neighbouring communities who thankfully seem to tolerate the presence of your silverback. The monitoring and veterinary teams are keeping a close eye on Mugaruka, and to date he is healthy and doing well.

Chimanuka, who leads the biggest habituated family in the park, did not react as coolly and calmly to the recent habitat loss. Much of his core range was destroyed, forcing him and his family to change their usual range and take refuge in a new area that is much farther away and more difficult for the monitoring team to access.

Despite the challenges, he and his family – which now totals over 20 individuals including females, their offspring and young blackback males – are all healthy and adapting well to their new area. The monitoring teams continue to follow him regularly and with special attention, and they plan to reinforce camps in his new range in order to improve his protection. EN

KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

One of Chimanuka’s females recently had a baby

MEET THE GORILLA One of our closest relatives, the gorilla is the biggest of the great apes. They live in close-knit family groups. Sadly, they are under terrible threat – their forest homes are destroyed by logging companies, which opens up habitats to poachers. Gorillas are killed for meat or tourist curios and their infants sold as pets. Today, less than 3,800 eastern lowland gorillas remain, a 77% loss since 1994.

AUTUMN 2019 | MUGARUKA & CHIMANUKA 27

CHINOISE & EVE Latest news on Chinoise & Eve the chimps

THEIR STORIES When Chinoise was a few weeks old, her mother was killed by poachers and she was sold as a pet to a Chinese restaurant in Douala, Cameroon, in 2013.

Luckily, the baby chimp was rescued by Limbe Wildlife Centre, supported by Born Free since 2004, who also care for Eve. One of the older animals, Eve, is part of a community of rescued chimps, and was rescued in 2005.

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Chinoise Images © LWT

Chinoise is in great health and good spirits!

With the rainy season underway, your adopted chimpanzee has been enjoying the cooler weather. On the occasional hot sunny day, we often find her playing in her water pool with companion Ghaa – the gentle older chimp. Every day Chinoise receives a healthy and diverse diet – she just loves her food.

She is also adept at reaching special treats hidden in the bottom of enrichment bottles, using skill and determination to win her treats.

LIMBE WILDLIFE CENTRE CAMEROON best life possible, including a nutritious diet, quality veterinary care and an enriching social life and environment. All the 43 chimps in the care of Limbe had a traumatic past, but you provide these incredible animals with a much brighter future. MB Chinoise plays with water

Soon the team will health check the 11 individuals in the mainland group of chimps, after which we will begin to introduce Chinoise to this new family. Great ape introductions are often long and complex but, with the skills learnt in the nursery from Ghaa, we are confident Chinoise will find her place.

It is important she is introduced to a family.

Life in the nursery might be stress-free, but chimps live in large groups in the wild. We try to replicate natural conditions for this highly intelligent and sociable species as much as possible.

With your support, we are busy building new structural enrichment for the mainland group, which will be ready for Chinoise to enjoy when she joins them. Meanwhile, older chimp Eve is a thriving in the island group and, although easy-going, also has a cheeky side.

When her carers call her to come inside at the end of the day, sometimes she deliberately runs in the opposite direction!

Thank you for caring for these fascinating creatures. You help provide Chinoise with the

CHIMPS UNDER THREAT Chimpanzees are our closest relatives and share about 99% of DNA with humans. They are extremely intelligent, feel complex emotions and live together in close-knit family communities, with a defined hierarchy. Like all great apes, chimps are perceptive, inventive and able to assess and learn from situations.

They solve complex problems, pass information from one generation to the next, and make useful tools for foraging.

AUTUMN 2019 | CHINOISE & EVE 29

SARA & AFRIKA

Latest news on Sara & Afrika the chimps

SARA’S STORY Sara was a baby when her mother was killed by poachers. A wildlife trader in South Sudan wanted to sell her as a pet but, luckily, she was rescued with three other baby chimps and brought to Ngamba Island in 2012. Here, amidst 100 acres of rainforest, Sara has recovered and become part of a community of rescued chimps including the older female Afrika, rescued in 2007.

30 SArA & AfrikA | AUTUMN 2019

Sara

We are happy to report that your adopted chimpanzee Sara is in good health. It is interesting to see that, despite being relatively young, she is developing in confidence. Her rank has increased in the community – chimp society is complex and very hierarchical. Sara tries to dominate some of the others and sometimes likes to play rough. She can use a stick to tease and poke lower-ranking chimps, or even try to steal their food.

Sara is such a smart chimp. It is fascinating to see, at meal times, she has worked out that if she sits close to the fence she can grab more food from the care team. She then dashes off and climbs a tree to enjoy her loot! Yet despite having 98 acres of rainforest to explore and enjoy, Sara is fascinated by the two acres of the island where visitors can watch the chimps from afar – the sanctuary is a popular destination for tourists, kept separate by a fence.

Meanwhile, older chimp Afrika enjoys a more peaceful life with Billi, her adoptive mother.

NGAMBA ISLAND CHIMPANZEE SANCTUARY UGANDA Together they build nests in the forest area or groom each other. Sometimes higher-ranking chimps try to take her food during the day, but her carers ensure she gets plenty of porridge and vegetables in the evening. MB

CHIMPS UNDER THREAT Chimps face many threats in the wild.

Poachers capture them for the commercial bushmeat market and sell younger chimps as exotic pets. Today, as few as 175,000 remain in the wild.

Chimps can also suffer particularly badly in captivity, whether in zoos, circuses, when used in adverts, films or even research laboratories.

Afrika Images © CSWCT

AUTUMN 2019 | SARA & AFRIKA 31

PANGOLIN FAMILY Latest news on The Pangolin Family

THEIR STORY Based deep in the tropical rainforest, the Sangha Pangolin Project cares for orphaned and injured pangolins. In 2018 the rescue team built a small hospital funded by Born Free – the perfect place for pangolins and other wildlife in need to recover before returning to the wild. The project works with local people to stop trade and protect these rare forest animals, the only mammal with scales. Š J Potgieger, Sangha Pangolin Project

32 PANGOLIN FAMILY | AUTUMN 2019

Koki on the hunt for ants

With your support, the team at Sangha Pangolin Project has had a busy time developing conservation initiatives with the local communities. But there is sad news to report from founders Rod and Tamar Cassidy: “It is with extreme sorrow we have to tell you that, after a short illness, Pangi is no longer with us. We monitored her with our local Baaka trackers every day for four and half years in the forest. When we watched her we said ‘Amazing’ and I hope you all felt the same amazement seeing her grow and do so well in the wild.

“Tracking Pangi meant we could protect her, learn more about this fascinating species and employ local people. Our Baaka trackers became very proud of their work and helped spread the word about the plight of pangolins. This outreach work continues and expands, and we are still following Koki every day. This brave little soul was rescued as a baby in 2017 with a badly injured tail, having been found in a tree that had fallen down after a fire. His name is short for Kokolo, the Baaka word for pangolin and now, fully recovered, has learned to adapt to life with a stumpy tail.

“Your adoption has helped us buy a camera, build a house for volunteers to stay, and create our pangolarium hospital. Since we rescued our first pangolin in 2013, we have cared for and released over 90 pangolins.

For now, the trackers follow Koki, monitoring and reporting on her behaviour. The team has also rescued a few other little animals including our latest – a baby civet, which is a small mongoose-like mammal. We also go to the villages to talk to local people and continue to raise awareness about the pangolin trade.

Thanks so much for your help!” MB

SANGHA PANGOLIN PROJECT CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

Since 2013, 90 pangolins have been cared for and released

PANGOLINS UNDER THREAT The illegal wildlife trade is a terrible threat and pangolins are the world’s most illegally-trafficked mammal. There are eight species of pangolin, four in Africa and four in Asia, and 100,000 are killed every year for meat – considered to be a delicacy, and scales – used in traditional medicine. Deforestation of their tropical forest homes is another big problem. Born Free campaigns to stop the trade in pangolins and attends global meetings to discuss the problems pangolins face and encourage better ways to protect them.

AUTUMN 2019 | PANGOLIN FAMILY 33

SPRINGER & HER CALVES Latest news on springer & her calves

THEIR STORY In 2002, Springer was just two years old when her mother died and she became lost near Seattle, USA. Springer was identified by her unique calls and taken 250 miles, by boat, back to her wild family near Canada’s Vancouver Island. Here, Orcalab monitor wild orca, supported by Born Free since 1994. In 2013, Springer gave birth to her own baby, called Spirit, then in 2017 had a second calf called Storm.

Much of my work focuses on campaigning against captive orca exploitation, so what a pleasure to report on Springer living freely in the ocean. These intelligent animals suffer when kept in small tanks, so it is fantastic to hear the latest on your wild family from old friends Dr Paul Spong and Helena Symonds.

And, stop press, Springer’s youngest now has a name!

quickly spread that she and her cousins were in the neighbourhood. She travelled east through Queen Charlotte Strait with her youngsters, and enjoyed a long rub at the rubbing beach at Malcolm Island. Orca seem to really enjoy rubbing against the smooth pebbles in shallow water and this unique cultural tradition is not seen in other orca communities.

“To our delight, Springer returned to our area in July together with her two calves, Spirit and her new baby, now called Storm. News

“Funded with the help of your adoption, OrcaLab has remote cameras at another nearby rubbing beach, as well as a hydrophone

34 springer & her calves | AUTUMN 2019

HANSON ISLAND JOHNSON STRAIT CANADA

EXTRAORDINARY ORCA The orca or killer whale is actually the largest member of the dolphin family and can be found in every ocean. An adult male can grow to nine metres long and weigh a colossal 10 tonnes. Orca are highly intelligent, sentient creatures with intricate social lives and defined culture, communicating with a complex language of calls. Only death or capture separates an orca from its family.

for hearing orca calls. Last year we were spellbound watching Springer and her two young ones enjoying themselves there. Back then Springer needed to closely supervise her youngest who was still nursing. We felt she was introducing her new baby to one of her favourite places. Spirit already seemed confident, manoeuvering among the shallows and skimming along the bottom. But this year Springer didn’t come to our rubbing beach and decided to travel in the opposite direction. These exploratory tours of the wider area are quite common at the

beginning of the season. The orca evaluate what salmon is available and meet up with other orcas. Springer’s group then headed for Johnstone Strait – the 70-mile channel along the north east of Vancouver Island. But how wonderful Springer was so close by and still honours the ancient traditions that connect her to this special place, where she returned to her family in 2002.” SG

Image © J Wray

AUTUMN 2019 | springer & her calves 35

ETHIOPIAN WOLF FAMILY Latest news on The ethiopian Wolf Family My colleague Eric Bedin, Field Director of the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme, recently sent a report.

“Dear supporters and lovers of the beautiful Ethiopian wolves, I share news mixed with tears of hope and sadness.

For the third year your wolves successfully raised many pups to the critical age of six months, when they can hunt by themselves. Despite a very dry season field teams estimated more than 100 wolves, from all ages, were roaming Web Valley.

“But then our vets reported a tragic outbreak of canine distemper among domestic dogs. Our worst nightmare became true when dead wolves were found in the eastern part of Bale Mountains National Park and, one month later, in Web Valley. No words are strong enough to document our distress. These dark days, however, can’t overshadow the success of the vaccination against rabies, another lethal disease. Thanks to your support, we have begun the first oral vaccination for Ethiopian wolves. After distributing food with vaccines over seven packs last year, the teams recaptured 30 wolves to document the vaccination. The results were higher than expected and nearly 60% showed protection against rabies – fantastic!

36 WOlF FaMilY | AUTUMN 2019

“There is more good news. In 2017 the small and isolated wolf population of Delanta, in the north of Ethiopia, was at the brink of extinction due to disease. No sightings were made for two years and we presumed they were no more. However, last month, our local Wolf Ambassador reported wolves had been seen in the area.

A team of monitors went immediately to document the presence and was able to sight three wolves. The comeback of wolves in Delanta is wonderful and quite unexpected. Even in the darkest moments light is not far off.” CS

BALE MOUNTAINS ETHIOPIA

THEIR STORY The family is a population of rare Ethiopian wolves who live in the Ethiopian highlands. They consist of several family packs, each led by an alpha male and female. Their home is the Web Valley, in Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains, 3,500m above sea level, where temperatures may range from -15°C nights to 25°C days.

WORLD’S RAREST DOG The slender, long-legged Ethiopian wolf with its distinctive red-tinged coat is a close relation of both grey wolves and coyotes. There are only about 500 Ethiopian wolves in the world, threatened by loss of habitat and the spread of lethal diseases carried by domestic dogs. Their last stronghold is high in Ethiopia’s Bale Mountains. Every single animal is important and they rely on Born Free and the Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme to protect them.

Image © R Marchegiani

AUTUMN 2019 | WOlF FaMilY 37

BODO

Latest news on Bodo the moon bear

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ANIMALS ASIA’S BEAR SANCTUARY CHINA Bears are intelligent, adaptable animals. Like all the residents at the bear sanctuary, your Bodo has a unique personality and you will be fascinated by his latest report from China.

“Bodo has been quite a character recently... though this is pretty much how he always is.

He's extremely playful, more so than almost any other bear at the sanctuary. He frequently plays with George, who is about half his size, and the two love to wrestle on top of the bamboo swing. In fact, they've broken it twice in the past month as their combined weight of 333kg is a little too much for the ropes!

“Bodo is also quite close with Monkey, which is fortunate as she tends to follow him around and prefers to eat her evening feed next to him when possible. The two are usually side by side in the dens and occasionally even share a basket. In the past few weeks Bodo has also been friendly with Eclipse, who we think is Monkey's sister.

Eclipse has mobility issues, so we kept a close eye in case Bodo tried to play too boisterously.

“In general, Bodo is a steady fellow who rarely gets involved in altercations. He just wants to eat, rest or play with his friends.

You’ll be glad to hear that he's in very good health and, as one of our more food-loving bears, can always be counted on to have a good appetite. Thank you for helping us care for this bear, who is a very special part of our bear group.” MB Images © Animals Asia

BODO’S STORY Bodo lives at a 33acre sanctuary near Chengdu in south west China, having been rescued from a cruel bear farm in 2003 when less than two years old. Fortunately he was too young to have been used for painful bile extraction, used in Asian medicine, but is missing his front right paw having been caught in a trap in the wild. He doesn’t let this disability stop him and explores his bamboo forest, clambers on wooden climbing frames and relaxes in a cool pool.

MEET THE MOON BEAR Moon bears are inquisitive and opportunistic, adept at exploiting their mountain forest habitat. Named after the crescent of ivory fur on their chests, they are officially known as Asiatic black bears. Moon bears are under threat, due to deforestation and loss of habitat and some 25,000 survive in the wild.

Sadly, they suffer terrible exploitation at human hands. Caught from the wild, thousands of moon bears are kept in cruel bile farms. Born Free is helping Animals Asia to stop this exploitation and support the rescue of farmed bears.

AUTUMN 2019 | BODO 39

KYRIAKOS Latest news on Kyriakos the brown bear

KYRIAKOS’S STORY Kyriakos was rescued as a fourmonth-old wild-born cub with his twin brother Manolis and now lives in a spacious forest enclosure. One of the biggest bears at the sanctuary, his favourite activities are eating and sleeping!

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ARCTUROS BEAR Kyriakos is now 15 years old and, funded by your adoption, enjoys life in his big forested enclosure, next door to twin brother Manolis.

Generally very independent, Kyriakos tends not to interact with other bears at the sanctuary. His favorite activity is playing in the big pool with wooden sticks and rocks. But he also has a great appetite and is so fond of all kinds of food, especially fish. Having woken from his winter slumbers in one of our artificial dens back in late spring, he has had a great appetite and loads of energy over the summer.

SANCTUARY GREECE playful, coaxing the others to join in.

Favourite foods include peaches, carrots, apples and honey. Watch this space for news of them moving to an even bigger enclosure soon. MB

Our friends at Arcturos have been very busy.

They don’t just run a sanctuary to provide lifetime care for bears, but also operate a rehabilitation centre, returning rescued cubs to the wild whenever possible. Earlier this year an incredible five orphans were successfully released, having been looked after for several months. Two more orphan bears, Bradley and Cooper, arrived at the centre recently and we hope they too will return to the wild.

So your adoption doesn’t just provide the best possible conditions for Kyriakos, you also help rehabilitate bears to their natural habitat when possible – brilliant! And do you remember Mollie, Georgia and Louisa? Born Free helped rescue these three youngsters in Georgia back in 2016. They will always rely on human care and live together with another young orphan, Patrick. Their spacious area has vegetation to forage in, trees to climb, two pools to dive into and several dens to rest in. Mollie and Georgia enjoy a relaxed pace of life, but Louisa is energetic and Images © Arcturos

CARING FOR BEARS Most of the rescued bears at Arcturos Bear Sanctuary, in Greece, are former dancing bears. Fortunately, this cruel and exploitative entertainment is now at an end in Greece – the first country in Europe to ban wild animals in circuses.

The sanctuary now also helps return rescued bear cubs to the wild when possible.

AUTUMN 2019 | KYriaKOs 41

YOU CAN HELP Would you like to raise extra funds for your adopted animal? It’s so easy to Go Wild with Born Free and hold your own event or activity, big or small.

From bake sales to sponsored events, every pound you raise will help Born Free care for animals. We’re here to help, with fundraising posters to help promote your event available to download online.

You could join our Run Wild squad. From mini runs to marathons we’ve got the race for you! We even have places for next year’s London Marathon. Whatever your distance, we supply a Born Free running vest and help you fundraise.

TO FIND OUT MORE VISIT WWW.BORNFREE.ORG.UK/FUNDRAISING AND WWW.BORNFREE.ORG.UK/RUNNING

MEET IMAN

Born Free has just given a home to a young, orphaned lioness.

Iman was confiscated in eastern Somaliland in East Africa. We believe she was caught from the wild in Ethiopia and on her way to the Middle East, to be kept in captivity. There is a terrible illegal trade in wild animals as pets in countries across the world.

Thankfully Iman is now in good health, thanks to expert emergency care from our friends at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Somaliland. She has arrived, safe and sound, at our Ensessa Kotteh sanctuary in Ethiopia. On this idyllic 77-hectare site Born Free cares for rescued, orphaned and injured animals.

Sadly, Iman will never be able to be released back into the wild.

But at Ensessa Kotteh, she’ll live in our care, free from harm, in a large, natural and spacious enclosure. Filled with indigenous trees and bushes, there is dense undergrowth for Iman to explore.

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