For anyone who saw the wonderful movie “Born Free” as a kid and got hooked on saving wildlife for the future, you would have loved the event I went to on Friday night. It was a fundraiser for “Born Free,” the great organization begun by Virginia McKenna who starred in the movie, and her son, Will Travers, to do what they could to save the remaining wildlife, which is diminishing at an alarming rate. Few elephants are now living compared to the number we had even ten years ago. The Chinese are in large part responsible for the markets in wild animal parts which they wrongly believe have all sorts of magical health benefits. In the case of elephants, of course, it’s the ivory they want for commercial use. They torture bears for their liver bile and kill millions of the gentlest creatures, seahorses for superstitious reasons. But don’t get me started on what’s being done to wildlife. One organization that’s worth supporting is “Born Free,” though others are also worthy. “Born Free” maintains the largest sanctuary for rescued primates in the country. These animals have been rescues from labs, where their lives have almost always been a living hell, from private parties and from roadside zoos and circuses. It is outside San Antonio and can be visited by special arrangement. I urge anyone interested in maintaining the species that haven’t been wiped out yet to acquaint yourself with this group.
