Spotlight News

Born Free USA has been following the case of the so-called “Ikea Monkey” named Darwin. This baby Japanese macaque, dressed in a faux-shearling, fitted coat, was found alone in the vastness of an Ikea store parking lot, in Toronto, during the Christmas shopping rush. Folks took photos that subsequently went viral on the Internet, and were featured in news stories around the world. Toronto, like many Canadian cities, has a law against keeping certain species of exotic animals as pets. Darwin’s owner was fined, and she signed little Darwin over to the city, from where he was moved to a primate sanctuary, north of the city.

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The year began with our 10th anniversary version of National Bird Day, the most vibrant yet, and is concluding with a flurry of activity that has seen our bid to have the African lion listed as "endangered" under the U.S. Endangered Species Act gaining steam. Find out more about those triumphs, and many of our other biggest accomplishments in 2012, on our 2012 successes webpage! And if you'd like to help us begin 2013 with a full head of steam — and give yourself a bit of a tax break, to boot — please consider making a donation today.

In late November our bid to have the African lion listed as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act cleared a hurdle. From now through Jan. 28, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is soliciting comments (click here to add your two cents) on why the lion should receive this layer a protection — a much-needed development that would mean the United States no longer would be a "consumer" of lions (import them for trophy-room display, restaurant use, etc.) On Dec. 6, 2012, our executive vice president, Adam Roberts, spoke on Canadian TV about this issue. Watch this CTV News segment now!

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has declared that our joint petition to list the African lion as "endangered" under the Endangered Species Act may be warranted. From now through late January is a 60-day comment period during which the FWS will seek scientific, commercial and other data in support of classifying the lion as endangered. Please consider adding your voice to this most worthy cause! Also, if you have not done so already, check out Born Free USA's lions page and read about our recent year-long, undercover investigation into the lion meat trade.

Classic Hardware, a vintage-inspired, cutting-edge jewelry and accessories company, is donating a portion of retail sales of its Endangered Creatures Collection to Born Free USA. Classic Hardware is best known for its image-based jewelry and eye-catching vanity cases, and for this collection it collaborated with artists to emphasize the animal conservation message. Classic Hardware's designs have been worn by top celebrities (including Emily Blunt, Madonna, Christina Aguilera, Jennifer Love Hewitt and Chris Isaak) and featured in popular TV shows. Items range in price from $20 to $61.

Born Free USA and Peace 4 Animals joined Saturday night (Nov. 10) in Hollywood to raise more than $10,000 for tiger conservation in India through the Satpuda Tiger Landscape Programme, one of our global field projects. About 150 people attended the event, hosted by Alison Eastwood. Check out pictures of Eastwood (shown here, on the right, with Katie Cleary) and other celebrities who were there, and also enjoy video interviews of some of the attendees. And if you would like to help tiger conservation efforts through the Satpuda project, please consider making a donation.

The Oscar-winning song "Born Free" has been re-recorded by legendary Queen guitarist Brian May and West End and Broadway singer Kerry Ellis. (Watch a video of the song now!) Their interpretation of the classic song is being sold in aid the Born Free Foundation and also supports Born Free USA's submission of a formal petition to the U.S. Department of the Interior to list the African lion as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act. Find out more about that ongoing effort on our lions page.

Our Grinch never stole Christmas! And you can help him have a merrier one by "adopting" (for $52 a year, the equivalent of $1 a week!) the male bonnet macaque. He's one of five monkeys up for adoption at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary in Texas. By participating in the adoption program, you will receive a photograph of your monkey along with some other goodies.

Grinch came to us from a university laboratory in the summer of 2006 after being "retired." Born in 1997, Grinch is in the prime of his life. Read more about him today!