Zoo Check has been campaigning against traditional zoos and other forms of what we see as unjustified captivity for wild animals, such as animals used for photographic props, marine ‘swim-with’ exhibits and circuses, we regard them as unnecessary and unjustified. Life in captivity can be restrictive and predictable, and as our investigations have shown animals can suffer physically and mentally due to the lack of freedom and choice that captivity imposes. Many captive wild animals live in cramped and unnatural conditions, their natural instincts frustrated or denied. Zoo Check promotes Born Free’s core belief that wildlife belongs in the wild and not in captivity. Life in the wild is complex, unpredictable and frequently dangerous, but wild animals have evolved over thousands of years to meet the challenges of survival in their natural habitat. Keeping an animal away from natural predators and the challenges of a wild life may increase the longevity of some individuals, but for certain species such as elephants and orcas, captivity seems to reduce life expectancy.
It is our belief that the long-term conservation of species can only successfully be achieved in the wild, combining the preservation and protection of natural habitats and thereby preserving dynamic evolving eco-systems as a whole.
Today Born Free’s Zoo Check Campaign continues to challenge the global zoo industry, the use of wild animals in circuses and in other forms of captive wild animal exploitation.