Welcome to Born Free USA

The Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary has welcomed a macaque! He had been found living in horrendous conditions at a roadside zoo in Mississippi after an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States revealed serious animal welfare issues there. The macaque, as yet unnamed, was taken from the zoo on Jan. 25 and on the next day arrived at our 186-acre sanctuary in south Texas. According to Sanctuary Director Tim Ajax:

"He is behaving and posturing normally and displayed an excellent appetite as he dove into a banana, romaine lettuce and some sweet grapes. We will let him settle in for a couple of days to allow him get used to some of the sights and sounds and for us to get used to his behavior and preferences. Then we will transfer him to his outdoor adjustment enclosure where he can touch grass, hear the birds and see other monkeys. A new journey has begun …”

See the Mississippi macaque’s photo gallery, which now includes three pictures of him eating lettuce today at the sanctuary! Stay tuned for more updates by visiting our Primate Rescues pages and please consider helping out by donating to our Rescue & Rehabilitation Fund.

Now that we’ve all had time to take 2012 out of its wrapping, put it on and get used to how it feels — and last week we enjoyed a very successful 10th edition of National Bird Day (always on Jan. 5) — we would like to take this moment to share with you some of Born Free USA’s many New Year's resolutions.

Bill description: This bill was drafted by Born Free USA. It would make it illegal to purchase, sell, transport or deliver any product, item or substance containing, labeled or advertised as containing bear gallbladder or bile.

Read the full text of the bill and follow its progress here.

The Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary has agreed to rescue an abused macaque found living in horrendous conditions at the Collins Zoo in Collins, MS, after an undercover investigation by the Humane Society of the United States revealed serious animal welfare issues and public safety concerns at the facility. Born Free USA is working with HSUS to coordinate the safe transfer of the animal tonight from Collins to the sanctuary in Dilley, Texas.

Read More

The Sumatran elephant could be extinct in the wild within three decades unless immediate steps are taken to slow the breakneck pace of deforestation, environmentalists warned Jan. 24. The International Union for Conservation of Nature recently listed the animals as "critically endangered" after their numbers dropped to between 2,400 and 2,800 from an estimated 5,000 in 1985.

Link: Huffington Post