International Animal Advocate Named Director of Born Free USA's Primate Sanctuary

Dr. Liz Tyson takes on leadership role at animal-welfare nonprofit's Texas facility, the largest primate sanctuary in the U.S.

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Born Free USA

Jan 15, 2019, 07:05 ET

WASHINGTON, Jan. 15, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Born Free USA, a global leader in animal welfare and wildlife conservation, has named Dr. Liz Tyson the new director of its primate sanctuary in south Texas.

In 2018, Tyson became one of the first people in the United Kingdom to earn a Ph.D. in animal welfare law. Under her leadership, the sanctuary will embark upon an extensive program of upgrades in 2019 and beyond, including new spaces for the facility's macaque residents, a new clinic and an updated intake center.

"The team here is so talented and committed that we've already been making strides forward in our plans during my first few months," Tyson said. "We are working to make the largest primate sanctuary in the U.S. even better, providing more resources for staff and further improving the lives of all of our monkey friends."

Tyson and her staff will also debut a new video series in 2019 that will offer unprecedented behind-the-scenes access to life at the sanctuary. The video series will focus on the daily experiences of the dedicated on-site caretakers and the 532 resident monkeys, many of whom have been rescued from abusive and neglectful situations such as laboratory research, roadside zoos and from the "pet" trade.

"Our new video series will be a revealing look at real life at the sanctuary," Tyson said. "Viewers will be able to get to know those of us who work here. They'll see how hard the job can be, but also how rewarding it is. And I think they'll understand why we do it when they meet the monkeys who live here and see them enjoying a life that's as close to the wild as we can make it."

Tyson, a native of the United Kingdom, has more than 15 years of experience in animal advocacy and conservation in Europe, South America and the Middle East. Her globetrotting career has included work as a caregiver in a wildlife sanctuary, primate conservation efforts in the Amazon rainforest and campaigns challenging the exploitation of animals in the entertainment industry.

"Liz has already proven to be uniquely qualified for the demands of this role," said Angela Grimes, Born Free USA's acting CEO. "We are fortunate to have someone of Liz's caliber - she has impeccable credentials and a lifelong passion for the well-being of animals. Her experience, skills and intelligence are sure to bring wonderful things to the sanctuary and its residents. I look forward to seeing her vision of the sanctuary take shape."

For more information about how you can help the Born Free USA Primate Sanctuary, visit https://www.bornfreeusa.org/primate-sanctuary/.

About Born Free USA
Born Free USA, a national 501(c)(3), believes that every individual animal matters. Inspired by the Academy Award®-winning film Born Free, the organization works locally, nationally, and internationally on the conservation frontlines, in communities, classrooms, courtrooms, and in the halls of Congress to end wild animal cruelty and suffering and protect threatened wildlife.

Launched in 2002, Born Free USA was inspired by Virginia McKenna and her late husband Bill Travers, who, along with their son, Will, founded The Born Free Foundation (UK) in 1984. Their experience in Kenya filming the classic 1966 Academy Award®-winning film Born Free, the story of Joy and George Adamson's fight to successfully return Elsa the lioness to a wild and free life, launched the couple's "compassionate conservation" movement, aimed at keeping wildlife in the wild. This movement continues to motivate millions of followers and activists across the globe. In 2007, Born Free USA merged with the Animal Protection Institute.

Located in south Texas, Born Free USA's Primate Sanctuary is the largest such facility in the U.S. and provides a permanent home for roughly 500 primates retired from research facilities or rescued from inhumane conditions at zoos and private ownership. These primates have often endured a lifetime of abuse, neglect, and cruelty, and many come to the Sanctuary with special physical and emotional needs, requiring extensive care and services. Current species in residence include: bonnet macaque, long-tailed macaque, pig-tailed macaque, rhesus macaque, stump-tailed macaque, Japanese macaque, olive baboon, and hamadryas baboon.

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SOURCE Born Free USA