Born Free - Wildlife Times - Summer 2018 by BornFree

The magazine for people who are wild about animals

WILDLIFE TIMES

Magazine

SUMMER 2018

LONG LIVE THE KING! YOU PAY, THEY PAY

this tiny Lion cUB with a mighty name needs yoUr heLp

Lions Bred for the BULLet

PLUS

“WE WILL NEVER GIVE IN”

• Looking Beyond the Bars • saving prehistoric mammaLs • Up, Up and Up! giraffe Boom • meet oUr own Lion man

virginia’s resoLUte pLedge to zoos KEEP WILDLIFE IN THE WILD

WELCOME From Will Travers OBE dear friends what's that? something wild just came through the post? of course, the latest copy of Wildlife Times - and what an edition! there's a tiny king who needs your help, before he can enjoy life under the african sun (rescue & care p4). while this little cub may become one of the lucky ones, our new report highlights the despicable captive lion breeding and hunting industry - and the south african government’s role in this miserable business (Big picture p14). captive lions on the one hand, marine animals on the other. virginia and our highly-experienced zoo check team pay a visit to marineland, france and ask - 'how can this still be possible?' (captivity p20). now published four times a year, our magazine has more to read like education and communities (p28), Born free enterprise brings us together with compassionate businesses (p27), and we meet those on the frontline in our new wildlife heroes column (p34). plus check out the Beyond the Bars photo-montage (p18), when 350 members of the Born free 'family' raised a glass (and vital funds). Born free is all about the animals and it's all about you. time to be kind.

president will@bornfree.org.uk @willtravers

“Born Free is all about the animals and it's all about you. Time to be kind.”

PS What do you think of Wildlife Times? Your opinions are very important to us. Take part in our quick survey at bornfree.org.uk/WLTsurvey and YOU could win one of ten Meripack window bird-feeders!

I want to go home! King was just a few months old when discovered in an abandoned French apartment – half-starved and cowering in a dirty cage. Kept illegally as an ‘exotic pet’, shocking footage on social media showed King being kicked. Please, help transform his life, let’s take him ‘home’ to our sanctuary in SouthAfrica (p4).

COVER STORY

Cover photo © D Damiaens/NHC

Best wishes

CONTENTS

FREE digital copy For your free e-edition of Wildlife Times visit www.bornfree.org.uk/wlt - you won’t believe your eyes! Then forward on for family and friends to enjoy.

In this issue of Wildlife Times 4 Rescue & Care cover story Meet the King – this tiny cub needs YOu

24 Over to you Your letters, photos, poems, and more! 27 Born Free Enterprise new

11 Wild News a round-up of Born Free news

28 Education & Communities new

14 The Big Picture cover story Four-page lion trade special

30 Conservation cover story Why pangolins need protection

18 Look Beyond the Bars Photos of a remarkable evening

cover story

34 Wildlife heroes cover story Meet lion man glen Vena

20 Captivity Virginia visits Marineland, France

cover story

Marineland, France

in South Africa

20 Sadness in

shouldn’t be pets

14 Born to die

36 King the lion cub t-shirts

8 Why lions

10 Hog rescue

30 Protecting prehistoric mammals

The Born Free Foundation is an international wildlife charity devoted to wild animal welfare and compassionate conservation. Born Free works to end captive exploitation and keep wildlife in the wild, where it belongs! Wildlife Times is published quarterly by the Born Free Foundation each year issn 1351_9212 Managing editor: Will Travers, will@bornfree.org.uk editor: Celia nicholls, celia@bornfree.org.uk Designed by: Claire stanford, claire@bornfree.org.uk Born Free Foundation, Broadlands Business Campus, Langhurstwood Road, Horsham, West sussex, RH12 4QP. 01403 240170 info@bornfree.org.uk www.bornfree.org.uk The Born Free Foundation is a Registered Charity no. 1070906

Printed by 4 Print Ltd, Tel 020 8941 0144 This publication is printed on satimatt green supplied by ebbs Tel: 020 8893 1144 The views expressed in Wildlife Times are not necessarily those of Born Free. if you have any comments or issues you would like

to raise, please write to the Managing editor at the address above. suMMeR 2018 | coNTENTs 3

I WANT TO GO HOME! Maggie Balaskas would like to introduce you to a very special lion. But this little cub with a mighty name urgently needs your help.

n October 2017, a young lion cub was found alone and severely malnourished in an apartment on the outskirts of Paris. A police investigation had been initiated when photographs were posted on social media of someone hitting and kicking this vulnerable youngster. Thought to be around four months old, ‘King’ was being kept illegally as an exotic pet and - lonely and terrified - was in terrible conditions in a small, dirty cage. His story is heartbreaking, King has had the worst possible start to his very short life. Fortunately the police,

amongst the beautiful sights and sounds of Africa.

together with two French organisations*, moved in to confiscate the little cub. He has been given a temporary home by our good friends at Natuurhulpcentrum rescue centre, in Belgium. But this is only a short-term solution. Can you help give King the life he truly deserves? With your help, King could have a life-changing adventure ahead of him. Born Free would love to take King to a permanent home at our Big Cat Sanctuary in the Shamwari Reserve, South Africa (p34). Here King could live peacefully where nature intended, in a spacious, safe and natural environment,

*Fondation 30 Millions d’amis & Réfuge de l’arche

You can help Please give King the life he deserves. Visit bornfree.org.uk/myking to donate or call 01403 240170.

Maggie Balaskas animal rescue & care manager maggie@bornfree.org.uk

You could transform King’s life

With your help, Born Free will transform the future for King and other wild animals suffering in captivity.

Thank you for making such a life-changing difference!

4 REscUE & cARE | suMMeR 2018

When a big cat first arrives at Shamwari, it is usually wary of its new surroundings. The sights, sounds, smells and even the grass beneath its paws are completely alien, a far cry from the deprived life left behind. But it’s never long before each animal starts to feel more secure and begin to explore, relax and roar in their new natural environment.

Since our Big Cat Sanctuary opened in Shamwari in 1997, with your support the lives of 34 lions and leopards have been transformed. Rescued from appalling conditions, most had been confined in tiny cages, exploited or abused. Individuals like Brutus, seen here, who’d been kept in a filthy circus trailer in France.

“How can we not understand that keeping wild animals in cages is not just cruel, but shameful? Lions are known as kings of the jungle.This little King, sadly, will never wear his crown, but at least we can give him love and respect and a natural environment to roam and rest in. That is the least he deserves, and I hope people will help us write a happy ending to his story.” Virginia McKenna OBE

‘Could you give little King the life he truly deserves?’

suMMeR 2018 | REscUE & cARE 5

DIRE DESIRE

www.georgelogan.co.uk

Not satisfied with ‘conventional pets’, people increasingly seem to crave something out of the ordinary. Millions of animals are on their wish list, as Chris Draper reports.

Dr chris Draper Head of Welfare & Captivity chris@bornfree.org.uk 6 REscUE & cARE | suMMeR 2018

Many people assume wild animals on sale in pet shops or online are captive bred, and this somehow makes their decision to buy a better, more sustainable choice. But they make two serious errors. Firstly, unlike truly domesticated species such as dogs and cats, captivebred ‘exotics’ have not been selectively bred for millennia for traits to enable them to better cope with life alongside humans. They have the same instincts and needs as their wild counterparts. Life in a domestic environment can be stressful, unnatural and even lethal - their complex social, behavioural and environmental needs are not met.

The trade and possession of ‘exotic pets’ inflicts gross suffering on millions of wild animals, please help fight this exploitation. secondly, it’s clear from our research that a percentage of wild animals for sale are wild-sourced. For example, a recent survey of a uK exotic animal dealer selling online revealed wild-caught individuals from 72 species of reptile – available at the click of a mouse! it is depressing to consider the tens of thousands of rescued dogs, cats and rabbits desperate for loving homes, while the pet market seems to crave the kudos of the increasingly exotic, often following ‘must have’ fads such as clown fish or meerkats. While exotic pet ownership in the uK might be perceived to be relatively ‘tame’ compared to other countries, Born Free research showed 57% of Britain’s 2,900 licensed pet shops sell exotic species. Furthermore, our recent survey revealed shocking numbers of dangerous wild

animals kept under licence in private hands - lions, pumas, venomous snakes and more (p23). and these are just the ones kept legally – we are aware of many more kept and traded unlawfully. Born Free has increasingly investigated aspects of the exotic pet trade in recent years, publishing our results in the press and through hard-hitting reports. We call on the uK government for a radical overhaul of the laws governing the keeping and sale of all wild animals across the uK. Further afield, the situation is staggering: big cats, bears, exotic reptiles and birds – almost any species you can imagine – all are at risk of being caught and traded for miserable lives as ‘pets’ across the globe. and for every wild animal captured and sold as a pet, many more may well have died in transit. Certain regions are of particular concern, with demand for big cats in some Middle eastern countries reaching species-threatening levels, for example. Born Free is working where we can to challenge the global trade in wild animals as pets, from tackling the capture and export of cheetah cubs from ethiopia, to pushing for greater restrictions through CiTes* on the international trade in wild animals. Tackling the cruel exotic pet trade is a huge challenge. We need your help and support at every step, from the uK to the international arena. *un’s Convention on international Trade in endangered species

You can help: To take action on the exotic pet trade and to read our ‘One Click Away’ and ‘Pet Shop Primates’ reports visit bornfree.org.uk/exotic-pet-trade

Exotic pets in the UK More than 42 million animals with at least:

5,000

big cats

monkeys & lemurs

7 million

1 million

reptiles & amphibians

caged birds

Killing with kindness It is incredibly hard to care for a wild animal. Our rescued lioness Achee, now at our sanctuary in South Africa (p34), was a cherished pet in Romania. She was fed the finest meat, but her diet lacked vital nutrients and today she has nerve damage and foreshortened legs.

Born Free calls for: • A full parliamentary review of the UK exotic pet trade and legislation, and improved enforcement

• A ban on the sale and private keeping of primates incl monkeys and lemurs

• An end to the import, sale and

keeping of wild caught mammals, reptiles and amphibians as pets

• Mandatory publication and independent review of mortality data from pet suppliers, pet shops and breeders

• Inclusion of large constrictor snakes,

Komodo dragons and other monitor lizards that can pose a risk to humans within the Dangerous Wild Animals Act

s we prepare to rescue the little lion King (p4), confiscated from an apartment in Paris after abuse as an illegal pet, it is timely to consider the plight of wild animals kept and traded as pets here in the uK and across the globe. This ‘exotic pet’ trade is a big global business worth up to £30 billion annually, much of which is illegal. The trade inflicts gross suffering and drives species to the brink.

highly social and deeply intelligent, parrots and marmosets have complex needs and both can suffer greatly as pets, especially if kept alone in barren cages

suMMeR 2018 | REscUE & cARE 7

K King is a tiny cub with a mighty name and he needs your help

DONATE TODAY

LOCKED IN A CAGE ORPHANED AND ALONE ABUSED BY HIS OWNER DEPRIVED A LIFE OF FREEDOM © D Damiaens NHC

With your help Born Free can give King a life worth living and a safe and permanent home at our big cat sanctuary in South Africa Visit www.bornfree.org.uk/myking or text KING to 70755 to donate £10 * By texting, you are agreeing for Born Free to phone or text you to tell you about our work and how you can help. You will be charged £10, plus your standard network rate. 100% of your donation will go to Born Free. If you wish to donate and not hear from us again, text KING NO to 70755. For more information call 01403 240170. Registered Charity No: 1070906.

RESCUE & CARE

UPDATE ON

VIEW SARA

To me rescue and care means

providing the best possible welfare

for an animal forced out of its natural habitat. This is so important, both for an animal’s individual rights and

well-being, and to educate the public.

Chimpanzees are our closest relations, each one requires personalised

treatment - like humans, they have

their own very individual personalities. Here at Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Uganda we care for 49

orphan stolen from the wild. If action isn’t taken to stop this trade it will contribute to the extinction of the

in a contemplative mood today

species. With the support of Born

rescued chimpanzees, each one an

Free, Ngamba Island cares for these

community to their plight, promoting the conservation of the species.

Founded in 1998, after 20 years of

commitment and hard work Ngamba is rated as a model sanctuary in

Africa. Chimpanzees have become

my favourite animals because of their charisma, not least Sara, one of our young playful females. Please help

Lily Ajarova Director, Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary

care for her.

Then an exciting day dawned. The quartet was taken by boat to join the older chimps on ngamba island Chimpanzee sanctuary, set amidst 100-acres of rainforest on Lake Victoria. amongst the lush habitat, rich in wildlife diversity, the four became part of a family again. sara learned to forage for food, groom her friends, climb trees, build ‘nests’ out of leaves and branches, and behave more like a wild chimp. Her mischievous side has developed and she’s well-known for teasing the others. But she’s brave as well and will always intervene to help her friends if there’s a squabble. sara loves her food and has a big appetite, especially enjoying posho (cornmeal) and bananas!

sicky and despairing when rescued

in July 2011, sara and three other baby chimps were confiscated from a wildlife trader in south sudan. There is a terrible illegal trade in apes - poachers kill wild adults for meat and sell their infants as ‘exotic pets’ (p6). Having witnessed the death of their families, sara, Mini, Cocoa and Marina were deeply traumatised. sara, the youngest, was in terrible health - her eyes puffy due to dehydration, her tummy swollen. But with expert care at uganda Wildlife education Centre, entebbe, on the shores of Lake Victoria, she and the others started to recover.

amongst the local and global

aided by others she overcame her heartbreak

You can help Adopt Sara and help provide her daily food and care (£3 per mth incl gift pack + cuddly toy). Visit give.bornfree.org.uk/adopt or please call 01403 240170. suMMeR 2018 | REscUE & cARE 9

chimpanzees and raises awareness

FACE TO

FACE Maggie Balaskas talks to Dr Rea Tschopp, consultant vet at our Ethiopian rescue centre. What brought you to Ethiopia? i came here 13 years ago having been a wildlife veterinarian in Dubai, Belize and nepal. i originally came to work on my PhD, focused on TB and the human-livestock-wildlife interface. When did you meet Born Free? i began helping the eWCa* and through them became involved with Born Free in 2006, from your first discussion about establishing a rescue centre. i’ve been part of this incredible team since then. Who did you first treat for us? it was sheba, a male cheetah with a rough start to life - several fractures didn’t heal. He was so happy with his gigantic enclosure here at ensessa

help rea care for dolo

Kotteh. The space allowed natural physiotherapy and sheba even started to run again.

You can help To adopt Dolo (£3 per mth incl gift pack + cuddly toy) please visit bornfree.org.uk/adopt or call 01403 240170.

Has Ensessa Kotteh changed? Tremendously over the years. it started with a couple of temporary enclosures to rescue animals in urgent need. Then large enclosures for lions, cheetah and hyenas. Later aviaries, primate enclosures, an information centre and office. staff have increased as have rescues, rehabilitations and releases.

with an orphan serval

Your most memorable rescue? The first - Dolo the lion. Kept on a one metre chain for four years he was in a terrible state. We drove four days non-stop to get him to the centre. Here Dolo’s behaviour and health changed dramatically. i’ll never forget him smelling the air, testing the grass with his paw that knew only concrete. He’ll always have a special place in my heart.

* ethiopian Wildlife Conservation authority

ResCue & CaRe NEWs IN BRIEF

Jubilee goes free

Polecat kit

Prickly heat

excellent news - after five years of care and preparation, our adopted asian elephant has returned to the wild in sri Lanka. Rescued in 2012 as an 18-month old orphan, she was named to mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Born Free has donated £840 to our friends at Vale Wildlife Hospital in gloucestershire, which takes in otters, badgers, foxes, birds, even polecats (see pic). They cared for a staggering 5,526 casualties from 147 species in 2017.

Born Free’s own rescuer Tarnya Knight overwintered an incredible 40 ‘autumn juvenile’ hedgehogs. But, with the return of warmer weather, each one has been successfully released. Watch one patter off to bed at bit.ly/HedgehogRelease

10 REscUE & cARE | suMMeR 2018

RESCUE & CARE

LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE! finally bowing to public pressure, the government has said it will curb the Uk’s ivory trade - thanks for supporting our campaign. meanwhile china’s ivory market - the world’s largest, has officially closed and hong kong - a notorious trading hub, has committed to a ban. great news for elephants!

WILD NEWS find out the latest on Born free animals, projects and people.

UP, UP & UP!

adopt our giraffes at bornfree.org.uk/adopt

is the world’s rarest giraffe back from the brink? Just 49 of the West african subspecies remained in 1995 and extinction loomed. But fast forward to niger today and numbers are estimated at 600. “Helped by Born Free adopters, this is one of Africa’s fastest growing giraffe populations,” said a delighted Dr Julian Hennessey, from the giraffe Conservation Foundation.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NGAMBA! The island sanctuary we helped create on Lake Victoria, uganda, is 20 years old. Here rescued orphans like sara overcome their heartbreak, live in a community and learn to behave like wild chimpanzees (p9).

AFRICA’S SECRET LIONS an Oxford university survey, supported by Born Free, has discovered as many as 150 lions in a remote park in sudan. The ‘hidden lions’ probably belong to a rare subspecies of which only 1,500 remain. The team, led by Dr Hans Bauer, will soon return to Dinder to find out more.

WHO LIVES NEXT DOOR? You might be surprised. Born Free’s new report has revealed hundreds of deadly, venomous snakes are kept as ‘pets’ right here in the uK. and that’s not all… (p23).

night-time image of a rare lion

suMMeR 2018 | NEWs 11

Hold the front page!

WILD NEWS

wonderful Joanna Lumley recorded adverts for Heart Radio to promote our new king appeal.

BRED TO DIE

Born Free’s major new report exposes south africa’s grotesque lion industry. in south africa lion cubs are bred for tourist cuddles, then ‘taken for walks’ by misguided holiday-makers. as they grow, the same near-tame lions are shot dead in enclosures, their skins claimed as trophies, bones sold for tonics (p14).

LONG-LIVING LEOPARD

USE AND ABUSE

at last - 250 years after the first english circus opened in London, this old-fashioned exploitation of wild animals could finally be over in the uK (p22). We’re ecstatic! You’ve helped Born Free campaign for decades for this. so why do we now have to wait so long? 12 NEWs | suMMeR 2018

will on BBC News and Born free quoted in New York Times critiquing ch4’s Britain’s Polar Bear Cub.

AUCTION YOUR ANTIQUES Leading auction house Bamfords is generously donating their 15% commission to Born Free, thanks to their auctioneer - celebrity antiques expert James Lewis. “We are so grateful,” said Virginia McKenna, “James is one of our most loyal Patrons.” To auction your item in aid of Born Free visit www.bamfords-auctions.co.uk

Leda is phenomenal. Rescued from a zoo in Cyprus, our mega mother cat is 27 years old - an astonishing lifespan for a leopard. But Leda still knocks spots off the competition, trying to catch unwary birds who venture into her enclosure in shamwari, south africa. see p35 to adopt her.

virginia’s full-page Radio Times article called on Antiques Roadshow to stop featuring ivory.

the last male of his subspecies

our lion bone trade report sparked global press, incl south african tv news show Carte Blanche.

Born free has redoubled efforts to save the beleaguered rhino following the tragic death of sudan, the world’s last northern white male. we take action to fight trade in horns - both global and Uk, and to support conservation including a kenya wildlife service ‘ear-notch’ id project. see bornfree.org.uk/rhino-horn-trade to find out more and get involved.

INSPIRED BY SUDAN?

nancy sorrell did us proud on ch4’s Star Boot Sale, donating her £1,661 winnings to Born free.

A few press highlights

thank you James!

FUZZY DUCKS

Born Free’s own wild animal rescuer Tarnya Knight had a busy spring, not least this mother mallard and ten ducklings. Found trapped in a garden in sussex, the family are now recovering, despite getting tangled in netting. “Garden netting can be deadly for wildlife, especially for hedgehogs,” explained Tarnya. “Keep it at least one foot above the ground or, better still, don’t use at all.”

IMAGES OF APES

HEROES WE’VE LOST

Following the great success of last year’s breath-taking Remembering Rhinos coffee table book, which raised £115,000 to save these ancient creatures, project mastermind Margott Raggett is now focusing on great apes. “Remembering Great Apes will showcase images by more than 50 of the world’s top wildlife photographers,” she explained (see p25).

it has been a heart-breaking few months, with the tragic loss of several wildlife champions. Dr esmond Bradley Martin was a leading investigator into the illegal trade in ivory and rhino horn. Professor Ratan Lal Brahmachary was one of india’s leading conservationists. Prolific wildlife artist David shepherd CBe was devoted to conservation through the work of his own Foundation. ‘elephant mother’ Dame Daphne sheldrick rescued hundreds of orphaned calves, preparing them for life back in the wild. Wildlife artist Pollyanna Pickering generously supported many animal causes, including Born Free. You will all be greatly missed.

EPIC EFFORTS

Remembering Julie Ward - big cat saviour

Badger cull now in eight more counties?

celebrating wild heroes like Bereket Girma

our stunning new website is a platform to educate, inspire and engage people to keep wildlife in the wild – visit www.bornfree.org.uk

OUR NEW WEBSITE

Mammoth thanks to our intrepid Mount Kilimanjaro and London marathon squads, prepared to go the extra mile for Born Free. a 14-person team conquered africa’s tallest mountain in February, while racing driver Darren Turner led 14 resilient runners to complete the long distance road race in april. special mention to Will Travers’ own assistant sarah Locke, who heroically completed both challenges!

Removing lethal wire snares in Kenya

Legal but immoral, sussex rhino horn trade suMMeR 2018 | NEWs 13

LIONS FOR SALE In South Africa cubs are bred for tourist cuddles then, as they grow older, the same near-tame lions are shot dead, their bones sold. Mark Jones reports and implores you to take action. Everyone loves a good selfie… It seems the chance of a Facebook or Instagram post cuddling a beautiful lion cub, whilst on a holiday of a lifetime in South Africa, is just too good for many people to resist. It will impress friends, and can’t do any harm, right? Sadly, this couldn’t be more wrong. While wild lions are in precipitous decline across much of Africa, in South Africa thousands are intensively bred on farms for the sole purpose of making a profit. These lion farms contribute nothing to conservation, put remaining wild lions across the continent at greater risk, and all too often keep animals in impoverished conditions. In South Africa captive-bred lions are exploited for money at every stage of their lives. Unwitting tourists pay to cuddle cubs or ‘walk with lions’. Volunteers fork out big fees to help hand-raise cubs removed from their mothers at just a few days old, in the mistaken belief their actions have contributed to ‘conservation’, because the lions will one day be returned to the wild. When they get too big to handle, many lions are sold off to canned hunting operations, to be shot in enclosures by ‘hunters’, who pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege. These lions don’t stand a chance – they are confined while their killers take a few hours out of their holidays to play target practice with them. Having been bred and raised by people, the young lions have no fear, so don’t know they should flee from people with guns. After the hunter has taken his or her ‘trophy’ - usually the head and skin - the remaining bones are exported to Far Eastern markets. Lion bones are increasingly used as a substitute for tiger bones in traditional Asian medicines, wines and other tonics. Meanwhile some adult females become cub-producing machines at the breeding farms, to churn out future generations to keep the profits rolling in. Their infants are typically ripped away from them when just a few days old, to make the females come back into season so they can produce more cubs. Continued overleaf

Why are wild lions in crisis? Reduced habitats and prey due to land use for agriculture and development Increased contact with local people leading to conflict and persecution Unsustainable trophy hunting, which often targets dominant adult males Increased demand for lion products, especially bones, for global trade

14 THE BIG PIcTURE | suMMeR 2018

THE BIG PICTURE

‘Legal trade stimulates demand for bones, incentivising poachers to target wild lions.’

suMMeR 2018 | THE BIG PIcTURE 15

Unwitting holidaymakers pay to pet cubs…

in the decade to 2013, south africa declared almost 7,500 lion trophy exports, the vast majority from captive-bred lions. in addition, between 2008 and 2015, the country legally exported more than 5,000 lion skeletons and a large quantity of bones. Despite the international trade in bones and other body parts from wild lions being effectively banned by CiTes (the un Convention on international Trade in endangered species) in 2016, the south african government issued a quota for the export of 800 lion skeletons from captive-bred lions in the following year.

for massive illegal trade in wildlife. Criminal syndicates use these countries to smuggle illegal products because of weak law enforcement, high levels of corruption and porous borders with major market countries such as China and Thailand. There are thought to be at least 8,000 captive lions across more than 200 breeding farms in south africa. The number of farms has escalated in recent years, following a court decision in 2010, which prevented the south african government from introducing regulations that would have effectively shut the industry down. since then, many prominent south african politicians and officials have gone out of their way to encourage the growth of the industry.

and to walk with young lions

the same near-tame lions are then shot dead

The farms typically keep their animals in small, intensive camps largely cleared of vegetation, destroying the natural ecology of the area. Lions are by far the most numerous of the animals bred at these facilities, but these ‘predator farms’ also hold leopards, cheetahs, servals, african wild dogs and hyenas. even tigers, not of course native to number of lion skeletons exported from south africa

The accumulated value of these money-making schemes is enormous. a cub-petting photo opportunity might cost 75 south african Rand (about £5), usually as part of a more expensive tour. a one-hour ‘walking with lions’ encounter could cost saR750 (about £50) while volunteering at these facilities costs considerably more. Meanwhile a ‘canned hunt’ might cost the hunter us $20,000 or more (over £14,000). a whole skeleton from a captive-bred lion could then be sold to Far eastern buyers for up to saR50,000 (£2,900), and the value of the bones will increase dramatically before they reach the end consumer in a bottle of wine or some other product.

Bred for tourist cuddles, then killed for profit

The hunter takes their ‘trophy’ home

1400

some of the buyers and countries to which these products are destined have strong links with the trafficking of illegal wildlife products such as ivory, rhino horn, and tiger parts. The vast majority of lion skeletons exported from south africa have gone to Lao PDR* and Vietnam, known to be key conduits 16 THE BIG PIcTURE | suMMeR 2018

1200 1000 QUANTITY

Exploited for life

800 600 400 200 0 2008 2009 2010 2011

2012 2013 2014 2015

YEAR

Lion bones are used in Asian wine

THE BIG PICTURE africa, are bred here for trophy hunting and sale. Over the last five years south africa has exported more than 200 live captive-bred tigers, and dozens of tiger trophies, bones, claws and skulls, mostly to asia and the Middle east. Far from contributing to conservation, south africa’s captive predator breeding industry fuels demand for trophies and animal body parts, and puts wild lions and other big cats at even greater risk. The trade stimulates demand for lion bones, which in turn incentivises poachers to target wild lions and launder their bones into legal markets.

“The inauguration of South Africa’s new President, Cyril Ramaphosa, heralds the opportunity for a fresh start. Bringing an end to the scourge of lion breeding farms and the trade in captive-bred lions should be a priority.” Will Travers

The international community is slowly waking up and rallying against this dreadful industry. at the World Conservation Congress in Hawaii in 2016, the world’s leading conservation science body, the iuCn (international union for Conservation of nature) passed a resolution calling on south africa to end both the hunting of captive-bred lions and other predators, and their captive breeding for commercial, nonconservation purposes. as yet, however, south africa shows no sign of relenting and we need your help to persuade them (see below). Born Free is working hard to expose the industry, and ensure potential tourists and volunteers at lion farms, and buyers of their gruesome products, understand the true nature of the industry they are funding, often inadvertently. Our high-profile report, ‘Cash Before Conservation - An Overview of the Breeding of Lions for Hunting and Bone Trade’, released in March 2018, exposed the industry and its links with wildlife trafficking and organised crime. The responsibility for closing the industry down lies squarely with the south african authorities, who have allowed the industry to grow and develop in the way it has. But while recognising this, Born Free is promoting a phased closure, to ensure animals currently on the farms will be treated with the dignity and

Know someone thinking of getting a selfie with a lion cub? Please ask them to think again. respect they deserve. Wherever possible they should be moved to appropriate rescue facilities where they can live out their lives peacefully. given the sheer size of the industry, there is no elegant or easy solution to this problem, but the wilful destruction of thousands of lions as a result of its closure would be intolerable. so, if you know someone who is thinking of getting a ‘cute selfie’ with a lion cub on their next visit to south africa, please ask them to think again. Whatever they say, lion farmers are only after one thing – profit. all their talk of protecting wild lions, or releasing cubs to boost wild populations, is sheer nonsense. That cute cub in your photo is more likely to end up on a trophy hunter’s wall, or in a bottle of asian wine. Keep wildlife in the wild.

The plight of the lion in numbers As few as

20,000 wild lions survive across Africa

5,000 lion skeletons exported from South Africa from 2008 to 2015

£14,000 or more to shoot a captive-bred lion

*Lao People’s Democratic Republic or Laos

Cash Before

£2,900

Conservation Born free’s shocking new report exposes south africa’s commercial lion breeding industry and highlights the government’s role in this bloody trade.

find out more visit www.bornfree.org.uk/lion-farmingand-canned-hunting to read our lion trade report and sign our petition urging the south african government to end the captive-breeding and hunting of lions.

Dr Mark Jones associate Director & Veterinarian markj@bornfree.org.uk

to buy a lion skeleton

At least

8,000 captive lions languish in over 200 ‘farms’ in South Africa

98% of skeletons exported to Lao PDR* and Vietnam from 2008 to 2015

suMMeR 2018 | THE BIG PIcTURE 17

‘Born Free is the voice for the voiceless, an animal champion to be reckoned with, at the forefront of a movement of change.’

BEYOND THE BARS GALA EVENT In 2017 Born Free went ‘back to our roots’, with a focus on our work to challenge the exploitation of wild animals in captivity. The year culminated with a spectacular event at London’s Royal Horticultural Halls in November, when an array of supporters and celebrity friends joined Virginia McKenna, Will Travers and the Born Free team.

singing sensation margaret keys opened the evening with a moving rendition of Born Free

virginia with oona the elephant, puppet star of michael morpurgo’s hit stage show Running Wild

walk-on parts in itv’s Doc Martin, donated by patron martin clunes, were auctioned for £54,000

18 BEYoND THE BARs | suMMeR 2018

BEYOND THE BARS “It is a huge honour to welcome so many of you, our extended family, to this unique evening. Born Free survives on public support and thrives on contributions – great and small. We can only do our work with the strength that comes from the hearts and minds of thousands – millions – of people who think as we do. Acts of individual and collective generosity keep us alive and events such as this are highpoints where this is demonstrated most clearly. We give profound thanks to all our supporters.” Howard Jones Chief Executive

founder patron Joanna Lumley led an emotional tribute to celebrate the enduring influence of our founder Bill travers mBe

tv auctioneer James Lewis hosted our auction and encouraged people to “bid up and well for the animals”

Lots included a stunning elephant portrait painted live by celebrated artist sherree valentine daines

other special guests included actress and long-term friend rula Lenska

“Changing the way the world treats wild animals takes time. We’ve been working on it for more than three decades and made real progress. But it will take more than a lifetime - my lifetime. The key is to be consistent, committed and compassionate. These values underpin Born Free and everything we do – from day one, in a room in Chelsea in 1984, to today when we have become the voice for the voiceless, an animal champion to be reckoned with. The organisation at the forefront of a movement of change.” Will Travers OBE President

Thank you Our gratitude to everyone who contributed to the evening. Visit bit.ly/BTBEvent for a glorious film of the remarkable event. Photos © www.whitehat-se.co.uk

The evening also marked the republication of Born Free’s first book, ‘Beyond the Bars’. This collection of essays, first published in 1987, questions keeping wild animals in zoos and includes a new foreword and afterword. To order visit give.bornfree.org.uk/shop or call us on 01403 240170.

suMMeR 2018 | BEYoND THE BARs 19

£20

GLIMMER OF HOPE The ‘entertainment’ at Marineland Antibes, France might be dated and depressing, but Virginia McKenna inspires us to focus on the light at the end of the tunnel.

Murky history • Many Marineland Antibes animals including an orca, sharks, sea lions and marine turtles died in muddy water following terrible flooding in 2015

• After pressure from Marineland

and other marine parks, France overturned their ban on captive dolphin breeding in February

Virginia McKenna oBE Co-Founder & Trustee 20 cAPTIVITY | suMMeR 2018

to mimic human speech, but such media-friendly novelty research has little value. Unlike the profound insights into wild orcas’ own complex language revealed by Orcalab, Canada after decades of study supported by Born Free

• Marineland orca Wikie was taught

CAPTIVITY

e should be crying, not cheering; heartbroken, not happy. First of all we should never forget the terror and trauma experienced by wild creatures when captured from the wild. The first orca to come to Marineland antibes was caught from the ocean in Canada in 1969. six-year old Calypso lived alone for a year before dying. since then eleven orca have died six wild-caught - plus four stillborn calves.

One of Born Free’s earlier campaign slogans was ‘dying to entertain you’. at the time i think we were considered extreme. not any more. Hundreds of thousands of people are rallying in protest against the inhumane practice of keeping these huge animals of the ocean in small concrete pools. Marineland’s 64m main pool may be the largest worldwide, but it is a teaspoon of water for these far-ranging giants. Trained to perform leaps and tricks, rewarded with a fish ‘treat’, it seems all sweetness and light. i do believe the trainers care for their animals – how could they not? But i would suggest an element of pity is mixed in with that emotion. as we watched them feed ‘treats’ to the four orca, we saw all too clearly the animals’ teeth severely worn down from biting on concrete, the male’s

dorsal fin collapsed along his back. Month after year of tricks and training and boredom and frustration – of denial of the life they were born to fulfil.

tank. There was a notice explaining what was being done to relieve these behavioural patterns. Well, i thought, if you believe that you believe anything.

Following the ‘show’ i asked a trainer about the collapsed fin. ‘Oh’, she said, ‘all the males’ fins are like this in captivity’. no need for muscles when there is no need to use them. The dolphin show was equally depressing and predictable. Their leaps were not joyful, just routine. no leap, no reward.

next, it was sea lions, penguins in a small indoor area with artificial rock and climatically controlled, seals, a shark ‘tunnel’, an aquarium gallery and a ‘touch pool’ where, i gather, you can touch the rays and skates. imagine the stress that causes.

“Hundreds of thousands of people are rallying in protest. We must bring this pointless, heartless captivity to an end. ” shows over, we wandered through the concrete to other ‘exhibits’. a male and female polar bear showed severe stereotypic behaviour. The male (no longer glistening white, but dirty brown), paced up and down endlessly in his small enclosure, his feet landing in exactly the same place along the same path. His mate swam in a pathetically small pool in an adjoining area. again, the pattern of her swimming was repetitive – her head rubbing against the same area of wall and window of the

used as i am to seeing tragic captive conditions for many wild creatures, i was especially depressed as we left Marineland. and i had only been there for two hours. not like the fearful number of years endured by the animals. i understand that, here, captive orca breeding will not stop (as has been announced at last by seaWorld). This reveals the lack of real understanding of the animals by the owners. BuT - a glimmer of hope? it was three days before easter - holiday time, yet the carpark was just a quarter full. and we must never forget the impact of the courageous and moving documentary ‘Blackfish’ by gabriella Cowperthwaite, featuring former seaWorld trainers. she revealed the truth behind the dolphins’ smile to a global audience. Yes, there is a gleam of hope - we must bring this pointless, heartless captivity to an end. We must always remember the years of meaningless life endured by millions of sentient animals, who we still hold captive for our ‘education’ and ‘pleasure’.

all captive male orca have collapsed dorsal fins

WILD vs CAPTIVE Back and forth the dirty brown polar bear paced…

60 miles (96km) a da

intelligent and oppo rtunistic, wild polar bears swim up to 60 miles (96km) a day, their home range one million times bigger than a typ ical zoo enclosu re.

they have no space to swim freely like wild orca

100 miles (160km) a da y

endlessly following the exact same path

Large-brained, so cial and self-aware, wild orca swim up to 100 miles (160k m) a day, 2,500 times further than Marineland’s pitifu l 64m orca tank.

images © C Draper/BFF

suMMeR 2018 | cAPTIVITY 21

CAPTIVITY

VIEW

Before joining Born Free as a

member of staff, I came across their website looking for like-minded

people, who didn’t want to see wild

animals in circuses and zoos. Having visited a zoo in the past, I was

haunted by a tiger I had seen behind a glass enclosure. I would never go again but that wasn’t enough.

Although I didn’t know what to do, I knew Born Free would be able to guide me.

Today the thing that makes me most sad is the thought of a human or

animal being scared – lonely or afraid. All the things that tiger was. I had

made my promise to him then and, nine years on, Born Free’s year of

Beyond the Bars meant everything to me. I think the message on our gala night was clear (p18).

Inspired every day by our Founders Virginia and Will, I am able to help

CIRCUSES Facing the final curtain There was cause for celebration in February, when the uK government announced the long overdue ban on wild animals in circuses in england would be put in place before 2020. Despite repeated promises, dating back to 2012, until now no firm timetable has been set. Thanks to the continued efforts of people like you, who always answered our calls to help put pressure on the government, an end now seems in sight for big top exploitation at long last.

its intention to do the same and we predict northern ireland will soon follow suit. Thank you for being part of this important campaign, for persevering alongside us to finally bring the curtain down on wild animal suffering in circuses.

Liz Tyson animals in entertainment Consultant liztyson@bornfree.org.uk

With our partners, Born Free has campaigned for decades for a ban - wild animals’ complex needs cannot be met in a circus. Today 19 wild animals including zebra, camel and reindeer, remain in two circuses in england. But not just england has seen sense; scotland passed legislation to ban wild animals in circuses at the end of last year and the Republic of ireland’s ban came into effect in January. Wales has confirmed camels still perform in the Uk

make a small difference. Who would not want to be part of ‘Keeping

wildlife in the wild’? Please do join us.

YOUR REPORTS

We were recently contacted by a British tourist, just back from a trip to senegal, where she had paid to ‘walk with lions’. she was then distraught to learn from friends that this is detrimental to the captive lions’ welfare (p14). “These lions are my first waking thought,” Jackie stacey told me. “I cannot believe how naive I was in doing this trip. I'm well aware its people like me who are helping these businesses continue.”

Joanne Bartholomew Events Manager joanne@bornfree.org.uk 22 cAPTIVITY | suMMeR 2018

You can help Keep spreading the word about wild animal exploitation. And if you’re concerned about a captive wild animal send your report via bornfree.org.uk/ report or send me a letter – thank you!

spread the word and help end such cruelty

Sarah Jefferson Captivity Programme information Officer sarahj@bornfree.org.uk

Spread the word

‘Kept as a pet in the UK’

EXOTIC

PETS Who lives next door?

be of significant risk to their owners and the wider public (p6). Born Free urges the uK government to radically improve the Dangerous Wild animals act as an absolute priority.

list goes on. We’re particularly concerned that the number of exotic pet owners is growing. Wild animals are very difficult to care for and extremely vulnerable to major welfare problems. They can also

LICENSED AS ‘PETS’ IN

Cheetahs

Wild cats licensed as ‘pets’ in Britain

Snow Leopards

GREAT BRITAIN There are at least 292 dangerous wild cats privately kept in Britain under licence

1 Jaguar

You’ll be shocked to discover nearly 5,000 dangerous wild animals are kept as ‘pets’ across Britain. it’s hard to imagine it’s legal, yet anyone can keep one if they get a licence from their local authority. alarmingly, in 2017 Born Free discovered 35% of local authorities in england, scotland and Wales issued at least one licence to keep pets covered by the Dangerous Wild animals act 1976. This amounts to 710 private premises keeping 4,755 dangerous animals including over 40 big cats lions, tigers, leopards, puma and cheetah - and more than 700 venomous snakes, such as puff adders and diamondback rattlesnakes. in Wales there is a privately owned elephant, in england a giraffe,14 wolves and three bears. The unbelievable

samantha Goddard Campaigns Officer samantha@bornfree.org.uk

Pumas

Big cats licensed as ‘pets’ in Britain

101 70 9

Serval

Leopard cat

Clouded Leopard

Lions

Leopards

Tigers

8 Lynx 4 Ocelot 4 Wild cat 3 Fishing cat 3 Caracal 2 Jaguarundi 1 Asian golden cat

CaPTiViTY NEWs IN BRIEF

UK’s last lion tamer good news, Thomas Chipperfield has been refused a licence to use big cats in a travelling circus. His appeal to use two lions and a tiger in his shows has been dismissed in court in staffordshire.

Empty the tanks

Britain’s polar bear cub

More good news, after years of pressure, public opinion polls, and following the death of five cetaceans in 15 months including two belugas, Vancouver aquarium will no longer keep dolphins or whales.

should the uK’s first cub for 25 years be celebrated? “Polar bears need protecting in the wild, not a lifetime in captivity,” said Will Travers in extensive press interviews including BBC Radio 4 PM and The Times. suMMeR 2018 | cAPTIVITY 23

OVER TO YOU

YOUR LETTERS Wild rhinos need and are entitled to their horns. The people who turn rhino into farmed ‘cattle’ or trade in wildlife body parts only see money. all very depressing but we must not lose hope.

Gill Gilbey

GET IN TOUCH we love hearing from you, so please send us your thoughts on the magazine, your poetry and your wildlife photos (up to 3mb). • write to celia nicholls, editor, Wildlife Times, Born free foundation (address details p3) • email celia@bornfree.org.uk

An amazing elephant family portrait by Ben Neale, taken in Samburu, Kenya

YOUR STUFF! i recently saw some innocent prisoners in a zoo. glass or netting may have replaced the bars, but not much else has changed. Tiny enclosures, miserable animals. On the positive side visitor numbers are plummeting! Donna Mackenzie Thank you Virginia for all you and Bill and Will have done to honour elsa the lioness and the adamsons, with the work of the Born Free Foundation. Anna Spencer

Born Free’s Education Programme is growing, aiming to reach more schools and students than ever before (p28). Our teams in Ethiopia, Kenya and South Africa need:

• Packs of coloured chalk • Environmental educational books • Primary & early secondary school

encyclopaedias visit bornfree.org.uk/wishlist for our full list. all items in good condition and delivered to horsham please. contact tarnya on tarnya@bornfree.org.uk – thank you!

Wildlife Times is an excellent publication. it is good to read of the excellent work the charity does – even though i am sometimes reduced to tears. i like the recent changes that have been made, well done to everyone involved. Sheila Murphy

FIND US ON FACEBOOK www.facebook.com/bornfreefoundation

Star letter

YOUR PHOTOS

YoUR coMMENTs:

Jen Johnson i admire those of you who’ve been involved pretty much all of your lives. Keep up the good work!

YoUR coMMENTs:

Moyra Miller education is important as it is the next generation that must learn to care for our wildlife.

YOUR POEMS To be or not to be a bee By Mark Barnes i wanna make honey, but i can’t. i wanna live high up in a tree. i wanna waggle dance and swarm about, i wanna but it really isn’t me. i wanna bumble round the flowers and scare intruders with my sting, i wanna live in my own hive, i wanna serve my Queen. i wanna be the bee’s knees, i wanna be a buzzy bee. But i can’t, ‘cos i’m a slug, i guess i’m just a wannabe!

YoUR coMMENTs:

Brenda Richardson You do the most wonderful things for wildlife. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Each pound counts! Thanks for your donations to recent appeals: Build a Future new year 2018, for our ethiopia rescue centre. raised

£31,610

6th June Celebration of Wildlife the farm soho, new york city Born Free USA event with Will Travers. 11th June Children & Wildlife in Harmony piano recital cadogan hall, London Join Will Travers and enjoy the music of acclaimed pianist Panos Karan.

2nd-8th July Big Cat Nap countrywide Raise funds taking it easy!

Rita shitu Thank you for all the love and care you give to our dear wildlife around the world! Bless you.

£1 coins go extinct autumn 2017, old pound coins save rare species. raised

£4,504 rescued in ethiopia thanks to you

We’d love to see you!

23rd June Summer Ball park inn palace hotel southend on sea Dinner dance in aid of Born Free.

YoUR coMMENTs:

YOUR GIFTS

EVENTS 2018

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE www.youtube.com/bornfreefoundation

10th – 22nd July Love and Protection art exhibition & auction nature in art museum & gallery sandhurst, gloucestershire Enjoy Gary Hodges’s pencil wildlife art, with Private View and auction by TV’s James Lewis 21st July. 14th July Big Cat Workshop for Kids horsham, west sussex (see p29) 5th October Go Wild Golf Day slinford golf & country club west sussex Golf, lunch and prizes - challenge the Born Free team! 15th-27th October Remembering Great Apes exhibition La galleria, pall mall, London Images by top photographers (p13). 18th October Remembering Great Apes reception royal geographical society, London 24th November Christmas Ball Burton albion pirelli stadium Burton on trent In aid of Born Free. Find out more Visit bornfree.org.uk or contact joanne@bornfree.org.uk or 01403 240170. suMMeR 2018 | oVER To YoU 25

OVER TO YOU

YOUR FUNDRAISING

Meika sunnucks feels so passionate about protecting bears she cut off her hair, raising a fantastic £580.

Dozens of you countrywide ran the 20k Feel the Roar virtual race, raising over £1,000.

You can help Visit bornfree.org.uk for our online fundraising pack. Or please contact Joanne Bartholomew joanne@bornfree.org.uk

Star fundraisers Over eight days from June 23rd, actor and Born Free patron Dan Richardson, and ex-team gB athlete Annie Connolly will climb 20,000ft for africa’s remaining 20,000 wild lions. Their Roar for Lions challenge will include Britain’s three highest mountains, skyscrapers from glasgow to London, even the eiffel Tower! You can support them at bornfree.org.uk/roar-for-lions

Mandy Zawadzka led a 19-runner team in the st albans Half Marathon, raising £1,712.50 in memory of her father Les aldridge. eight-year old Josephine Faulkner is a big Born Free fan and raised £270.75 running 5km in her local park in Huddersfield.

super-stretchy Mark Lee Davies raised £1,490 through his yoga classes and cake sale, with more events coming soon.

Tormead school, Guildford’s conservation club raised £140.27 thanks to a cake sale and games, including pin the tail on the tiger! 26 oVER To YoU | suMMeR 2018

BORN FREE

Hello everyone. My name’s nikki and i head up Born Free’s new enterprise and Partnerships team. i have an extensive events and fundraising background. Born in zambia, i’ve travelled widely throughout africa, so working for the Foundation is an honour. Our new team includes grant and trust fundraising, events (p25), corporate partnerships and individual philanthropists. Our vision is to develop this vitally important area so Born Free can protect even more wild animals. Can you help in any way? We’d love to hear from you! if your organisation runs a charity of the year could you put Born Free foward? if you have any ideas please get in contact.

i am passionate about wildlife and conservation and have 20 years’ international business experience. it is incredibly important that businesses support Born Free’s vital welfare and conservation projects. We are seeking partnerships with those who will support our important work and join us on the adventure, because together we can make a real difference! all support is appreciated and we will ensure it is mutually beneficial. We offer access to our huge media and social media output, fundraising appeals and publications. There are lots of ways to get involved and benefit. Please contact me to find out more and to discuss how we can work together with you and your business.

01403 240170

Susanna Page trusts and major gifts manager susanna@bornfree.org.uk 01403 240170 m: 07387 262409

Nick Thorp corporate development manager nick@bornfree.org.uk 01403 240170 m: 07814 284741

A big thank you to recent

Organic wine aid

Amusing animals

our good friends at vintage roots, who developed their Wild Thing brand in support of Born free, generously provided wine at our Beyond the Bars evening (p18). the 100% organic wine will shortly be relaunched with new packaging. please look out for Wild Thing and have a taste of

the incredibly successful Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards is now open for 2018 entries. you can find out more by visiting www.comedywildlifephoto.com

corporate supporters including: Coffee Real, Comedy Wildlife Photography, Co-Op Bank, Deerfoot, Easyjet, Etihad Airways, Greta Iori & Louis Massai - Graffiti Prints, Give As You Live, HU2, Kuoni Travel, La Perla, Loylogic, Paton Developments, Patrick George, Simplitium, Sugarhill Boutique, Taj Hotels, Vintage Roots Wine and VVB Engineering.

the wild!

Nikki Mason head of enterprise and partnerships nikki@bornfree.org.uk

i want to live in a world where nature thrives and animals treated with respect and compassion. My passion for the natural world has brought me to Born Free where i’m thrilled to put 20 years’ conservation experience to good use. i never cease to be amazed by the kindness of our supporters. Thanks to your generosity, vulnerable animals can be rescued from appalling lives in captivity, relocated to spacious sanctuaries and given lifetime care. Born Free’s new Rapid Response Fund enables us to take prompt emergency action from individual rescues to specialist interventions. For more info, to make a significant contribution or chat about our projects i’d love to hear from you!

ENTERPRISE

suMMeR 2018 | ENTERPRIsE 27

EDUCATION & COMMUNITIES World views Welcome to a brand new section of our magazine devoted to education. Teaching and learning is so important in shaping our world. I’m sure many of us know an individual who has changed our world-view and presented ideas that inspire us to this day. It is therefore with pleasure that I introduce Born Free’s amazing global wildlife education team. In future editions we’ll tell you more about our work to encourage people from all walks of life to love and respect the wild. Laura Gosset Head of Education laura@bornfree.org.uk

i’ve been with Born Free for 16 years, having had a passion for the wild from childhood. every day we would watch elephants in addo national Park as our way to school took us along the park fence. My vision is to protect what is local and protect endangered species. Sidney Clay South Africa

i’ve been with Born Free for over a year, but have had a passion for wildlife and been an animal freak for many years! My goal is to ensure nature will be around for future generations and to promote the importance of wildlife and wilderness - for humans and other species alike. Thembela Schoeman South Africa

i used to work as a tour guide and wondered how best to save the wildlife found in a critical situation around the national Parks i visited. i was concerned about their losing habitat and merciless human activity. Today i’m proud to work for Born Free and for the freedom of wildlife. Million Genta Ethiopia

i hope that through education we will be able to influence behaviour and attitudes towards wildlife and conservation in a positive way. after 11 years what keeps me at Born Free is the passion and belief in what we do and what our charity stands for. Phoebe Odhiang Kenya

28 EDUcATIoN | suMMeR 2018

EDUCATION & COMMUNITIES YOUTH AMBASSADORS in addition to an amazing education team, Born free has four youth ambassadors who share their passion and knowledge with others, encouraging support for our foundation. see bornfree.org.uk to find out more. as a toddler i was enchanted by the diligent ants and lethargic snails residing in my garden. This has blossomed into an ever-growing wonderment and love of the diversity of creatures on our planet. Bella Lack 15-year old blogger @Lionheart0075

as a family, we have always embraced compassion for both animals and human beings. We live in an amazing world with animals capable of so much, including incomparable companionship and friendship. Charlotte Knight 23-year old model @CharMaslin

i have a passion for wildlife because of my wonderful mother, who grew up in zimbabwe. she instilled a passion by taking us on various trips into the wild and quickly taught us of all the intricacies of the wild. Lewis Bedford 18-year old cricketer @LewisBedford23

My grandmother made me aware how important it is to protect wild animals and keep them in their natural habitat. They now need our help more than ever. i want to grow up in a world that respects and cares for wild animals. Katie Marshall 17-year old soprano @KatieMarshall__

OUR PLANS THIS YEAR

st Louis secondary school in dundalk, ireland created a storybook on the life of lion man george adamson

FOR EDUCATION

hendrick kanise school, south africa built a fence to protect their vegetables, appreciating the outdoors

• strengthen our relationship with existing partner schools • Continue to support partners that are leading the way in environmental education • Create new resources and materials to support teachers • start transforming our education centres to truly inspire visitors to be wildlife champions

saddamo primary school visited ensessa kotteh, ethiopia to learn about threats facing big cats for world wildife day

suMMeR 2018 | EDUcATIoN 29

WHY PANGOLINS NEED YOU

Gabriel Fava reports on a global issue that needs global efforts. With you by our side, Born Free is battling to save the world’s most trafficked mammal. 30 coNsERVATIoN | suMMeR 2018

“Pangolins risk becoming extinct before most people have even heard of them.” Prince William When the world woke up to their plight a few years ago, sacks of pangolin scales and cargoes of frozen pangolins were being regularly seized in staggering volumes of two, three and four tonnes at international borders. a thriving sourcing and distribution system was being run by well-organised transnational criminal networks. The epicentre of demand radiated out of Vietnam and China and, as asian species became less numerous, major supply chains shifted to the african continent. in 2016 governments went on the offensive and, encouraged by many organisations including Born Free, banned the commercial international trade in all pangolins and their products. However, getting a ban unanimously agreed at a meeting of a united nations Convention is one thing, enforcing that

their only defence is to curl up

Born Free continues to work to influence governments to make changes to secure a future with thriving wild pangolin populations. We also support efforts to apprehend and prosecute traffickers. But amidst all this we cannot forget the individual. Thankfully, live victims of illicit trade are sometimes rescued. Contact with people in the forest isn’t always a death knell for a pangolin. With your help, passionate protectors such as our partners at sangha Lodge in the heart of the Central african Republic are committed to giving such individuals a second chance back in the wild. Together, let’s save the pangolin.

Let’s protect these gentle mammals

Gabriel Fava associate Director asia & Oceania gabriel@bornfree.org.uk

Unique animals

*international union for Conservation of nature

• • • • • • • • •

You can help Support pangolin conservation and care by adopting Pangi (£3 per mth incl gift pack + cuddly toy). Visit give.bornfree.org.uk/adopt or please call 01403 240170.

evolved over 80 million years Only mammal with scales solitary, mainly nocturnal sleep curled in spiky ball eat insects chiefly ants & termites each can eat 70 million insects/year Large front claws rip open ant mounds no teeth but long sticky tongue specialised eye-lids protect eyes from biting insects

• Poor eyesight, rely on hearing & smell • Range from 30cm to 100cm in length

Look after pangi and protect wild pangolins

although information about their numbers - like their behaviour, biology and ecology - is limited, we do know some species are faring worse than others. The iuCn* Red List classifies Chinese and sunda pangolins as ‘Critically endangered’, and Philippine and indian pangolins as ‘endangered’. all four african species are listed as ‘Vulnerable’. all are secretive and elusive; their only defence to roll up into a ball and play dead – effective as a defence mechanism against predators such as a tiger or lion, but convenient for a poacher who simply picks them up.

ban in countries with high corruption rates and under-trained and underequipped customs officials is quite another. in addition, as with many species endangered by trade such as bears and tigers, the stimulation of demand in consumer countries plays a critical role. The Chinese government for example publishes a yearly quota for around 26 tonnes of scales, which can be sourced from ‘farmed’ pangolins. But pangolins have only rarely been successfully bred in captivity, and this regulation serves both as a way to launder illegally sourced scales and a strong incentive to poachers to keep the gruesome industry thriving.

uite simply, it’s a wonder any are left. One species is confined to a handful of small islands, others have a vast cross-country distribution, but all eight species of pangolin are under dire threat from trade. Tens of thousands are feared killed each year to satisfy demand for their scales – made of keratin (just like human finger nails or rhino horn), so medically useless, but nonetheless prescribed for a range of conditions. Their meat, tongues and blood are also consumed as delicacies or as a display of affluence.

CONSERVATION

suMMeR 2018 | coNsERVATIoN 31

CONSERVATION

FRONTLINE

VIEW FOR THE LONG RUN a few weeks ago i was in Dinsho, Bale Mountains, enjoying our cosy wooden cabin in the forest. This is where i lived in the 1980s, when i started my research on ethiopian wolves (so rare and little known i had to look them up in my guide-book when offered the job!). as i reminisced by the fire-place, memories of similar evenings came flooding back. Visits by Will Travers, Virginia McKenna, and friends, drawn by the allure of the eerie afroalpine meadows, and the chance of seeing a patrolling wolf pack cutting through the fog.

How lucky are we humans to share this world with such magnificent

creatures? Yet, hardly a day goes by without a news story about wild

animals being exploited in one form or another - whether poached,

traded, or hunted. We hear about

losing species at a terrifying rate and

the impact of our activities on wildlife and the natural ecosystem.

My heartfelt wish is for each of us to understand the role we can play in

reversing those alarming trends. One critically important way to safeguard

With Born Free support i established the ethiopian Wolf Conservation Programme (eWCP) in 1995 and we are still going from strength to strength. To have any real impact, our work to protect animals and their habitats needs to be sustained, our goals long-term. i recently became Born Free’s Chief scientist, a role attached to the Bill Travers Chair for Wildlife Conservation at the university of Oxford. i will promote an evidencebased culture and help convey our agenda and achievements to you, our supporters, and to a wider audience, including political and community leaders. as Born Free continues to build its reputation as a significant player in the wildlife arena under the banner of compassionate conservation, ‘Tier One’ projects like eWCP provide the narrative for the work our field teams do, day in day out.

our wildlife is to improve their legal protection and ensure laws are properly implemented. Those

decisions made by our elected

representatives critically underpin

Born Free’s capacity to operate field conservation projects, which

ultimately affect tens of thousands of animals in the wild.

Through advocating for legislative

and policy reforms on behalf of Born Free, I strive each day to end

destructive wild animal exploitation, protect threatened species and

promote human-wildlife coexistence. You can speak out too. The only tool you need is your voice! See p17 and visit bornfree.org.uk/take-action to

help Born Free protect wild species.

Adeline Lerambert Policy & Advocacy Strategist adeline@bornfree.org.uk 32 coNsERVATIoN | suMMeR 2018

Long-term protection for long-legged wolves

We care about the animals we work to protect, each and every one of them. Only by instilling their needs firmly in the public agenda, and changing the way our leaders consider conservation and welfare issues, can we really make a difference. Please keep your support coming for my dear wolves, africa’s most endangered carnivore! You can help: Adopt an Ethiopian wolf pack and support their conservation (£3 per mth incl gift pack + cuddly toy). Visit give.bornfree.org.uk/adopt or call 01403 240170.

Prof Claudio Sillero Chief scientist claudio@bornfree.org.uk

A wolf in fox’s clothing • Closely related to grey wolves • Colonised africa via land bridges • Found only in six isolated, afroalpine • • • •

enclaves in ethiopia’s highlands

Live up to 4,500m above sea level Officially ‘endangered’, around 500 remain World’s rarest canid (dog species) Threatened by habitat loss & lethal dog diseases incl rabies & distemper

• 62cm at shoulder, up to 20kg • Large family packs of up to 20 adults

• Mostly feed on molerats & grass rats

POLITICAL ANIMALS We won’t stop battling to secure a future for Britain’s wildlife

Top of the agenda Over half of Britain’s wildlife species are in decline, with one in seven in danger of extinction. numbers of many endangered species have fallen by two thirds since 1970, including water voles, hedgehogs, great crested newts and toads. industrialisation, deforestation, intensive agriculture and the impact of climate change all risk leaving Britain as one of the most nature-depleted nations on earth. We must act now to protect our precious wildlife – so treasured by the public and critical to our nation’s wellbeing. This is why at Born Free we campaign to put wildlife protection and animal welfare at the top of the political agenda. The general election of 2017 brought about a sea change in how politicians view these issues. a combination of new online media channels, social media and an increase in first-time voters resulted in fox-hunting and the ivory trade becoming key issues in the campaign. Twelve months on and the government has made significant policy pledges to address this growing public concern. These include a commitment to maintain the ban on fox-hunting, a ban on the uK ivory trade, a pledge to finally end wild animals in circuses, plus plans for an animal sentience and sentencing Bill - requiring Ministers to consider animals’ welfare when developing policy.

But despite progress, many challenges remain, including bringing an end to the inhumane and ineffective badger cull. since 2014, over 35,000 badgers have been slaughtered, at a public cost of £50 million, in a failed attempt to lower TB in cattle. also, tougher measures are needed to deal with wildlife crime such as hare coursing and raptor persecution. Born Free will keep the pressure on our politicians to do even more for animal protection.

Dominic Dyer British Wildlife advocate dominicdyer@aol.com

COnseRVaTiOn NEWs IN BRIEF

World’s rarest chimp

World’s longest elephant trek

World’s rarest zebra

Born Free is helping protect and rescue critically endangered western chimpanzees in the forests of guinea Bissau, West africa. as few as 1,000 survive - habitat is destroyed and adults killed for bushmeat, their infants sold illegally as ‘exotic pets’.

We also help protect a globally important population of desert elephants in Mali, one of just two in the world. Threatened by poachers, just a few hundred remain. These unique, fascinating elephants migrate over 350 miles every year.

Our Kenya team has recorded the birth of a baby zebra in Meru national Park. Mother and foal are doing well - great news as the park has just a handful of these endangered grevy’s zebra, the largest of all equid (horse) species. suMMeR 2018 | coNsERVATIoN 33

HEROES

WILDLIFE

meet glen

Personal tales and inspiring stories, from remarkable Born Free people with a passion for the wild.

y name is glen Vena and i’m the animal Care Manager at Born Free’s big cat sanctuary in shamwari Reserve, south africa. i’ve been working here for 18 years, having first volunteered on their student programme. Today i work with a great team, who make the project what it is.

protect wildlife in their natural habitats for years to come. educating people from different walks of life and different localities is a big plus in the work i do here. speaking for those that cannot and hoping my calls to keep wildlife in the wild can be as loud as the roar of our mighty lion, the king of the veld!

as a young boy i grew up on a farm, herding my father’s livestock and being in the veld (grassland) for most of my childhood. Learning to care for the veld and to be respectful of nature were some of his greatest teachings to me and are what drew me to shamwari - preserving the wild and a vanishing way of life.

although what our rescued cats have here at shamwari might be second-best compared to the wild, seeing them thriving in their beautiful natural enclosures after their horrible starts in life is just magic - watching them become the lions or leopards they should have been. i know they cannot speak for themselves, but i can see in their behaviour that they are so content here. all the cats are special in their own ways and each has a very special place in my heart. Three i called dear friends, who

now the stories of Born Free’s rescued big cats are teaching the youth. installing a sense of responsibility at an early age is the way forward, teaching how to

greeted me each morning when doing my checks, are no more – the late Raffi and anthea the lions, and Kuma the leopard. These rescued cats played a very important role in changing me as an individual and moulding me to the person i am today. each day i think of them and go to our garden of Remembrance to talk to them about the day. i let out a few things that weigh heavy on my heart, it’s very comforting. every moment here at shamwari is rewarding and not a single day is dull. seeing how both rescued and wild animals thrive is a blessing. But now i have to contain my excitement as - with your help - i look forward to welcoming King to his new home (p4). i know he will like it here as much as the other cats do!

“I hope my calls to keep wildlife in the wild can be as loud as the roar of a mighty lion.”

“ciam was an anxious youngster when he arrived last year, having been kept in a cage as a ‘pet’ in france. But shamwari has worked its magic and he now looks handsome and full of life, as fit as a wild lion.”

34 WILDLIFE HERoEs | suMMeR 2018

YOU CAN ADOPT A SHAMWARI BIG CAT And help provide their food and care

Sinbad & Achee

£3

PER MONTH

Leopard family

JUST

adopt this loving pair of lions, rescued from romania. Both undersized due to poor early diets, but big on personality!

includes affectionate brothers sami and alam rescued as tiny orphans, and our astonishing longliving Leda (p12).

To adopt call 01403 240170 or visit bornfree.org.uk/adopt

And visit them in South Africa!

Come on holiday visit our rescued lions and leopards at shamwari, the most established private wildlife reserve in the eastern cape. this five-star destination is also home to a vast array of wild animals including rhinos, elephants and giraffes. see Born free’s work firsthand, meet our team, enjoy wildlife drives and ecology works during your tailormade holiday.

To book your holiday email reservations@shamwari.com and please quote ‘BFF18’

BUY A KING T-SHIRT! Show you u’re part of King’s pride (see p4). You’ll help Yo p give this tiny cub with a mighty name a life worth living! 1

Men’s T-shirt

Emerald green, Born Free logo on sleeve. 100% cotton. S (36/38"); M (38/40"); L (41/42"); XL (43/44")

£15 (UK P&P included) 2

Children’s T-shirt

Dark purple or pale blue, Born Free logo on sleeve. 100% cotton. Age 4 (96-104cm); age 6 (106-116cm); age 8 (118-128cm); age 10 (130-140cm); age 12 (142-152cm)

£11 (UK P&P included)

Women’s T-shirt

Fuchsia pink, Born Free logo on sleeve. 100% cotton. S (size 8-10); M (10-12); L (12-14); XL (14-16)

£15 (UK P&P included)

To order visit give.bornfree.org.uk/shop or call us on 01403 240170