Born Free believes that every individual animal matters. Inspired by the Academy Award®-winning film Born Free, we work locally, nationally, and internationally on the conservation front-lines, in communities, classrooms, courtrooms, and the halls of Congress, to end wild animal cruelty and suffering and protect threatened wildlife. Born Free also operates the country’s largest primate sanctuary, which is home to 494 monkeys, many rescued from abuse in roadside zoos and private ownership or retired from research.
Our History
In 1966, Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers starred in the classic wildlife film Born Free. The film told the true story of conservationists Joy and George Adamson who rescued a lioness cub named Elsa and successfully returned her to the wild.
Virginia and Bill went on to make several wildlife films together, including in 1969 An Elephant Called Slowly with an elephant calf called Pole Pole. Although Virginia and Bill did everything they could to prevent this, when filming ended, Pole Pole was gifted to London Zoo by the Kenyan government. In 1982, Virginia and Bill went to visit Pole Pole at the zoo and the elephant, in clear distress, remembered Virginia and Bill and stretched out her trunk to reach them.
Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna reach out to Pole Pole at the London Zoo. Even in her distress, she remembers them. Photo: Mail on Sunday[/caption]Virginia and Bill launched a campaign to give Pole Pole a better life but, in 1983, at age 16, Pole Pole died. Determined that her death would not be in vain, in 1984, Virginia, Bill and their eldest son Will launched Zoo Check – the charity that has evolved into Born Free.
