Born Free USA Field Projects
In addition to our own Primate Sanctuary in Texas, where we provide food, shelter and as much freedom as is possible to some 500 macaques, vervets and baboons, Born Free USA participates in a number of other wildlife rescue efforts throughout the world.
FEATURED PROJECT: Lion Bomas in Kenya
Lion (Panthera leo) populations in Kenya are becoming increasingly threatened. The Kenya Wildlife Service has identified a number of lion conservation “hotspots,” including Amboseli, Tsavo and Samburu, where one of the most immediate and serious threats to these species is conflict with humans.
African Gray Parrots in Cameroon
In the past couple of years, authorities in the west-central African country of Cameroon have intercepted more than 1,000 endangered African grey parrots who had been taken from the wild by criminals engaged in the international pet trade. Captured in nets and stuffed into tiny crates, the terrified birds were deprived of food and water and forced to stand in their own waste. Many were trampled to death in their crowded crates, or subsequently died from the injuries they sustained in being captured and transported.
Dolphins in Turkey
Following a dramatic 48 hours of negotiations, the Born Free Foundation® has secured the release of two dolphins, Tom and Misha. Their plight has made international news since they were placed in a small concrete swimming pool in the Turkish town of Hisaronu, from where local campaign group, the Dolphin Angels, arranged a massive Facebook protest and an ongoing street presence, calling for their release.
Elephants in Kenya
Many land-living herbivores, including elephants, can experience “salt hunger.” To remedy that they congregate around salt licks to supplement their diets with minerals (such as sodium) that are not found in their main sources of food.
Mount Elgon National Park, on Kenya's western border with Uganda, is home to a very special population of elephants. Because there are no salt licks on the surface of Mount Elgon, the elephants must venture into mountain caves to satisfy their sodium fix.
Elephants in Sri Lanka
The Elephant Transit Home (ETH) in Udawalawe, Sri Lanka, was established in 1996 by the country’s Department of Wildlife Conservation. Young elephants from around Sri Lanka who have become separated from their mothers are brought here, where they are treated for injuries or infections, cared for until weaning age, and then released back to the wild in a national park.
Ethiopian Wildlife Center
Ethiopia is home to dozens of rare and endangered species. They face numerous threats including wildlife trade and habitat loss. Born Free USA partnered with the federal democratic government of Ethiopia to begin building a state-of-the-art rescue facility for many of these animals in 2007.
Ethiopian Wolves
In an attempt to prevent the looming extinction of the Ethiopian wolf, one of the world's rarest carnivores, Born Free USA has waged an extensive campaign to vaccinate them against rabies. (We also have arranged for hippopotamuses in Kenya, who are threatened by starvation due to persistent drought conditions, to be provided with supplement food.)
The Last Great Ape Organization in Cameroon
The Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA) is a unique non-governmental organization (NGO) located in Cameroon that participates in law-enforcement activities. Through partnership with the government of Cameroon, LAGA staff members conduct investigations and aid in the apprehension of wildlife traffickers. In addition, LAGA provides public education and ensures the humane handling of confiscated animals.
Primates in Zambia
Primates, such as baboons and vervet monkeys, are common victims of Zambian hunters — and the species on which the Zambia Primate Project’s work focuses. Giving rescued primates the help they need to have a second chance at life in the wild, this small yet remarkable project makes a huge contribution to wildlife conservation.
Scarlet Macaws in Honduras
Revered by the Maya (the ancient peoples of Guatemala and Honduras), scarlet macaws once flew in abundance over much of Central America. Today their numbers have drastically fallen throughout Latin and South America, as the beautiful birds are under constant and sustained threat from deforestation and poaching.
Sea Sense in Tanzania
Sea Sense is a Tanzanian organization that protects dugongs and sea turtles off the eastern coast of Africa. Born Free USA has provided Sea Sense with support for several years.
Sea Sense conducts both research and outreach programs. Its collection of data on sea turtle and dugong population sizes, incidents of egg poaching, and other information has been extremely helpful in guiding conservation projects. Armed with scientific data, Sea Sense has successfully educated local communities about threats to sea turtles and protecting their nests.
Shamwari Wildlife Reserve in South Africa
Born Free USA supports two rescue facilities and an education center within the Shamwari Wildlife Reserve in South Africa. The Shamwari sanctuaries house lions and leopards who are rescued from captive environments such as zoos, circuses and private homes.
