Washington, D.C. — Three young cheetah have arrived at Born Free Foundation’s Wildlife Rescue Centre in Ethiopia following a dramatic rescue mission pulled together by Born Free Ethiopia and partners at the Ethiopian Wildlife Conservation Authority (EWCA).[teaserbreak]
Originally confiscated from illegal trade as cubs in the remote reaches of Somaliland, the three females were transported to safety in a specially adapted Land Rover Defender and placed with Guenther Wirth of NGO German Agro Action. Over the years, Guenther has taken charge of many confiscated animals in Somaliland, returning them to health prior to their relocation to Ensessakotteh, Born Free’s Rescue Centre west of Addis Ababa.
The cheetah’s arrival at Ensessakotteh coincided with the official opening of a new on-site Visitor and Education Centre, which was attended by VIP guests, including former President of the FDRE, Girma Wolde-Giorgis and legendary actress and founder of Born Free, Virginia McKenna OBE. The centre, which will be known as ‘The Treehouse,’ will enable the team at Ensessakotteh to educate thousands of school children and visitors alike on the importance of conservation and care for endangered animals, such as the rescued cubs.
Born Free’s Ensessakotteh Centre in Ethiopia cares for wild animals who have been rescued from trade. The facility currently cares for 11 cheetah, alongside rescued lions, primates, birds of prey, and many other species.
Born Free Ethiopia Country Representative, Dr. Zelealem Tefera, who helped organize the cheetah’s hand-over at the Ethiopia-Somaliland border, explained, “The illegal trade in cheetah is nothing short of alarming. East Africa is being stripped of their fragile population to line the traders’ pockets and supply the irrational demand for exotic pets in the Middle East. This is illegal, unsustainable, and cruel. It has to stop.”
Adam M. Roberts, CEO of the Born Free Foundation and Born Free USA, said, “We are clamping down on this barbaric trade in vulnerable wild animals. Cheetah cubs are snatched at a very young age from the wild, with up to 70% of these cubs found dead during confiscations. Recruitment back to the wild population is therefore virtually obliterated and this will ultimately result in the eventual extinction of cheetah from the Horn of Africa. I am proud that the Born Free Ethiopia team is leading the way in tackling the illegal trade head-on.”
While the care of these animals is a key priority for Born Free, it is also vital that this illegal trade is tackled head-on in this region. To that effect, Born Free and partners at EWCA are about to launch the Border Point Project, having secured three years of funding from DEFRA’s Illegal Wildlife Challenge Fund in the UK.
Headed by Fetene Hailu, this project will tackle illegal trade at key border point crossings into and out of Ethiopia. Hailu said, “Born Free has just taken in three cheetah. While we could say these are the lucky ones, what does their confiscation and rescue really reflect? That others have died along the way and their removal may well mean the poachers are out there now, looking for replacements to supply the demand. While all aspects of trade must be tackled, the Border Point Project will be vital in closing down the trade routes from Ethiopia. We must make trade non-viable for the people who snatch these animals and try to take them over our borders.”
The Born Free Foundation and Born Free USA are committed to ending the illegal trade in wild animals and caring for those individuals who are misplaced by this practice.
The Born Free Foundation is a dynamic international wildlife charity devoted to compassionate conservation and animal welfare. Born Free takes action worldwide to protect threatened species and stop individual animal suffering. Born Free believes wildlife belongs in the wild and works to phase out zoos. The Foundation rescues animals from lives of misery in tiny cages and gives them lifetime care. Born Free protects lions, elephants, tigers, gorillas, wolves, polar bears, dolphins, marine turtles, and many more species in their natural habitats, working with local communities to help people and wildlife live together without conflict. The Foundation’s high-profile campaigns change public attitudes, persuade decision-makers, and get results. Every year, Born Free helps hundreds of thousands of animals worldwide. More at www.bornfree.org.uk.
Born Free USA is a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation. Through litigation, legislation, and public education, Born Free USA leads vital campaigns against animals in entertainment, exotic “pets,” trapping and fur, and the destructive international wildlife trade. Born Free USA brings to America the message of “compassionate conservation”—the vision of the U.K.-based Born Free Foundation, established in 1984 by Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna, stars of the iconic film Born Free, along with their son Will Travers. Born Free’s mission is to end suffering of wild animals in captivity, conserve threatened and endangered species, and encourage compassionate conservation globally. More at www.bornfreeusa.org, www.twitter.com/bornfreeusa, and www.facebook.com/bornfreeusa.
Media Contact: Rodi Rosensweig, 203/270-8929, therodicompany@gmail.com