Born Free USA Articles

Will Chinese Elephants Be Forgotten?

2013-01-23T20:12:10Z

The following article was published by the Born Free Foundation on Jan. 21, 2013.

We have heard from our colleagues at the Zimbabwe National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and Animals Asia the wonderful news about the release of the five young elephant calves destined for zoos in China. They arrived at Umfurudzi Park early Jan. 19. Here they will undergo rehabilitation and integration with other elephants within the secured national park.

Partners = Possibility

2012-12-02T01:00:08Z

The following story appeared in the Fall/Winter 2012 issue of Born Free USA’s magazine, Animal Issues Digest.

There are times, in our intense, seemingly endless efforts to relieve animals from the cruelty and exploitation they endure, when we feel quite alone. Late nights poring over ivory trade data; meeting in office after office with lawmakers about humane legislation; seeking donations from all corners of the country to ensure we can guarantee the highest levels of care for the individual animals who rely on our compassionate stewardship.

Protection, or Plunder?

2012-12-02T00:30:04Z

The following story appeared in the Fall/Winter 2012 issue of Born Free USA’s magazine, Animal Issues Digest.

“CITES is a disaster, isn’t it?” The question could not have been more blunt and to the point. The journalist was filming me on a steamy summer afternoon in Geneva, Switzerland, outside the meeting room where the Standing Committee to CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) was debating the future of elephant ivory trade, the export of wild-caught gray parrots from Cameroon, and China’s role in the disastrous trade in tiger parts.

Please Let the NOAA Know You Oppose Beluga Whale Imports

2012-10-22T18:41:29Z

The following represents a suggested letter to be sent by Oct. 29, 2012, to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to protest the Georgia Aquarium's planned importation of beluga whales. If you submit comments through the government agency's official website, please feel free to personalize them. You can find the agency's comment-writing tips here.

I respectfully ask that you not issue the permit for the importation of 18 beluga whales captured from the Russian Sea of Okhotsk to the Georgia Aquarium.

2012 Wildlife Photo Contest: The Winners!

2012-07-18T18:02:47Z

Minnesotans dominated our second annual Keep Wildlife in the Wild Photo Contest, as Anne Girton of Edina captured first place and Susan Winkelman of Minneapolis was runner-up.

For her winning entry, a picture of a cedar waxwing taken June 2, 2012, in Chaska, Girton will receive a Born Free USA merchandise gift basket. Winkelman tells us her fox photo was taken on June 2, 2012, about 20 miles west of Minneapolis.

2012 Essay Contest: The Winners!

2012-07-17T22:51:25Z

As part of Keep Wildlife in the Wild Month 2012, Born Free USA sponsored its first ever "How I'm Going Wild for Animals This Summer" essay contest for students. We had three categories — ages 10 and younger, ages 11 through 14, and ages 15 through 18. Below are the winning entries. Each winner will receive a certificate, T-shirt, plush animal of choice (we have seven to choose from), a $50 gift certificate to Barnes & Noble, and a free "adoption" from the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary. The prize package is valued at $142!

Admire Our Progress. It’s Hard!

2012-06-02T00:06:42Z

The following story appeared in the Spring/Summer 2012 issue of Born Free USA’s magazine, Animal Issues Digest.

Let’s face it; working to save animals is hard work, indeed. And we regularly talk about just how hard it is. We refer to campaigns as “hard fought” and to victories as “hard won.”

Downright Unbearable

2012-06-02T00:04:28Z

The following story appeared in the Spring/Summer 2012 issue of Born Free USA’s magazine, Animal Issues Digest.

I will never forget the first time I saw a bear in the wild. I was hiking over a small bridge in Juneau, Alaska, and stopped to marvel at the beauty of the wilderness surrounding me and the water beneath me.