Dear John,

Happy New Year, to you and yours! We’re starting 2026 as we mean to go on – inspired by kindness and hope, and so grateful to have remarkable you by our side.

This year our resolution is simple. We choose to make a tangible difference for wild animals in need. Feel the same way? With your support, our plans include some huge news, so read on.

A black and white photo of a herd of elephants walking in a line across the African savannah with dramatic cloud formations in the sky.

Our BIG news

After years of our hard work and endless dreams, Europe – at last – has a large-scale sanctuary for elephants, from zoos and circuses. We’ll let you know SOON how you can get involved in this lifelong haven.

VOTE FOR BORN FREE!

A photo of Bereket Girma wearing a Born Free baseball cap with text overlaid: WILDLIFE HEROES - Bereket Girma, A story about rescue.

We need you! The Smiley Film Awards celebrate the best of charity film-making, so please vote for our short Wildlife Hero film about our exceptional Country Director in Ethiopia, Bereket Girma – A Story About Rescue.

CAST YOUR VOTE

PRIMATES AS PETS BAN

A photo of a tiny marmoset peering out from a cage.

After our long campaign, it will soon be illegal to keep a primate in England without a license. From marmosets to squirrel monkeys, primates have complex needs and never make good pets. We’ll report more, later this month.

PET PRIMATES

Dangerous wild pets

A digitally enhanced photo of a cheetah sitting on the grass outside a sprawling villa with a chain around the cheetah's neck and text: BORN FREE - NOT FOR A HOME

It’s shocking, but UK legislation governing the private keeping of dangerous wild animals – from big cats to venomous snakes – will be 50 years old this summer. It’s outdated and inadequate, so we’ll be calling on you to take action.

Watch this space!

A black and white photo of Dame Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers MBE sitting on top of a Land Rover with two lionesses - taken during the filming of Born Free.

This year will mark 60 years since the film ‘Born Free’ was released, starring our Co-Founders Dame Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers MBE. Our June mag will show how Elsa the lioness’s true story changed the world’s attitude to wildlife, forever.

But that’s just a few highlights. There’s plenty more to look forward to in 2026, from a gathering of India’s largest tiger conservation network in five days, to our Footsteps to Freedom Ball in London this March (got your tickets yet?!).

BUY YOUR TICKET

We’ll be planting thousands of trees to help protect gorillas in Cameroon, and launching major initiatives to help first lions and next giraffes in Kenya. Oh, and we’ll be in touch in a few days to encourage you to take on a new challenge, for this New Year.

Our tree-planting programme will help Cameroon's gorillas

In fact, none of this work for wild animals is possible without incredible you. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all you do. We LOVE our working together, in fact, we’re wild about you!

From your friends at Born Free – let’s pledge to make 2026 the best year EVER for wildlife

THE ELEPHANTS ARE COMING!

Our BIG news

VOTE FOR BORN FREE!

PRIMATES AS PETS BAN

Dangerous wild pets

Watch this space!

ADOPT | DONATE | SHOP