Washington, D.C. — As the year draws to a close, Born Free USA releases a round-up of its top 10 successes for animals in 2015. According to Adam M. Roberts, CEO of Born Free USA and Born Free Foundation, “While animals are still being slaughtered, trapped, traded, and used for entertainment, we have seen some momentous gains this year and a rise in support from the public and lawmakers to protect wildlife. We are grateful to those who continue to do what’s right and keep wildlife in the wild.”[teaserbreak]
State Ivory and Rhino Horn Legislation
After New Jersey and New York passed the first state bans on the sale of ivory and rhino horn in 2014, there was a groundswell of nearly 20 similar bills introduced in 2015. A.B. 96 was signed into law in California on October 4, and Washington state voters approved a ballot measure in November to end the trade in a number of endangered species.
Introduction of the Refuge from Cruel Trapping Act
In April, Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY) and Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced H.R. 2016/S. 1081 to ban the use or possession of all body-gripping animal traps within the National Wildlife Refuge System. The bill received a Senate hearing in May, and Senator Booker delivered a powerful statement, asking, “How can such cruelty be permitted on wildlife refuges, of all places, where we are trying to preserve wildlife habitat?”
Progress in the Fight against Trophy Hunting
Born Free USA worked to ensure that Cecil the lion’s tragic death at the hands of an American trophy hunter would galvanize positive change for other animals. Over the summer, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) introduced the Conserving Ecosystems by Ceasing the Importation of Large (CECIL) Animal Trophies Act (S. 1918/H.R. 3526) to prohibit the importation of trophies from species that are proposed to be listed as Threatened or Endangered. In New Jersey, Senator Raymond Lesniak (D-20) and Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D-38) introduced two bills to crack down on the importation of trophy-hunted wildlife parts into the state.
Following Cecil’s death, more than 40 airlines banned the transport of hunted trophies from the “Big Five” African species (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, and Cape buffalo), including American Airlines, Delta, United, Virgin, and Jet Blue.
Introduction of the Sanctuary Regulatory Fairness Act
H.R. 3294/S. 1898, crafted by Born Free USA, was introduced in July by Representatives Renee Ellmers (R-NC) and Peter DeFazio (D-OR) and Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA). The bill allows certified sanctuaries, like the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary, to rescue and rehome captive, abandoned, and mistreated primates from around the world if a more local sanctuary cannot take them in.
Pangolin Protection
Born Free USA advocated for this little-known but heavily trafficked mammal, seeking to bring it greater recognition and protection. The First Pangolin Range State Conference was held in June in Vietnam. Born Free USA participated in discussions with representatives from 14 Asian nations and 17 African nations to develop a unified action plan with recommendations to protect all eight species of pangolins. In July, Born Free USA and other groups petitioned the U.S. government to designate seven species of pangolins as Endangered under the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA), and now await the publication of this petition and the opportunity for public comment.
Rescued Lionesses Arrive Safely in South Africa
Two lionesses, Maggie and Sonja, are settling into their new home at Born Free Foundation’s Shamwari Game Reserve in South Africa, following a 6,000 mile journey across two continents in January. They spent the first eight years of their lives at a circus in Germany, confined to a circus trailer in appalling conditions between performances. At Shamwari, they were introduced to the sights and sounds of nature for the first time, and will now live out the rest of their lives in this large, natural space.
Rescue and Rehabilitation at the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary
The Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary provides humane lifetime care to monkeys rescued from abusive situations. In 2015, several monkeys joined more than 600 primate residents who live on 186 acres in Texas, including Billie, someone’s pet for 17 years; Taz, someone’s pet for 18 years; and Teddy, a nine-month-old vervet who was bred for sale.
Good News for Orcas in Ontario
The Canadian province of Ontario banned the capture, import, and breeding of orcas in January. Ontario is one of only two provinces with facilities that have ever kept orcas, and Born Free USA hopes that this ban signals a slowing of the captive cetacean industry in Canada.
Increased Protection for African Lions
In response to a petition submitted by Born Free USA and other protection organizations, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a final rule on December 21 listing lions in Central and Western Africa as Endangered, and lions in Southern and Eastern Africa as Threatened, with a special rule pending that would require certain conditions to be met for importation of any lion trophies, including that the country of origin has a scientifically-sound management program for the species. Experts believe there may be fewer than 20,000 lions in the wild, and this tremendous victory will ensure significant international protection.
Repurposing Fur to Comfort Rescued Animals
Born Free USA re-launched its successful “Fur for the Animals” campaign that first began in 2014. Running from September until December, the goal of the donation drive is to collect fur items to send to wildlife rehabilitation centers around the country where the fur will be put to a better use: comforting orphaned and injured wild animals. More than 270 items have been collected so far this year, and more continue to pour in from all over the country.
Born Free USA is committed to building on these successes in 2016 and will continue to fight for a world in which all wildlife can remain in the wild.
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 North America the message of “compassionate conservation”—the vision of the United Kingdom-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