Police appeal after life-size bronze lion stolen from exhibition

International wildlife charity Born Free is appealing for support after a bronze lion statue was stolen from the exhibition.

The installation, entitled Born Free Forever, is a collection of 25 life-size bronze lion statues that has been on the Downs since July.

The theft was brought to the charity’s attention after a local supporter noticed a disturbed patch of grass where the statue was meant to be, and immediately alerted the organisation.

Adele Mills, head of fundraising at Born Free argued that the theft was “a cruel parallel” that an exhibition highlighting the threats to lions and their catastrophic decline in the wild should be targeted in such a manner.

The statue represented a lion named ‘Black’, who “is a key part of the story of Born Free”, says Adele.

“Each statue represents the challenges facing lions today and our tireless work to protect them. Black’s story is about our work to rescue and care for lions.  He was saved from life in a rusty circus trailer in Bulgaria when the government there, thankfully, banned wild mammals in circuses.

“With nowhere else for him, and his brother Jora, to go, in 2015, with the aid of Born Free’s generous supporters, the two lions were rescued and brought ‘home’ to Africa and our Big Cat sanctuary at Shamwari. There the two brothers, lavished with loving care, have transformed.

“The theft of Black from our exhibition means his story is missing from our ‘Year of the Lion’. That is the saddest part of all.”

There are currently only 20 thousand lions left in the wild. The Born Free Forever exhibition is intending to raise funds to combat the plight facing the world’s wild lion population, and fight for their long-term survival.

The sculpture weighs 190kg and was nailed into the ground with metal pegs. Avon & Somerset Police are investigating the act, which officers believe happened between Wednesday, July 27 and 8:30pm on Thursday, July 28.

​Officers believe the suspect would have had a large vehicle and multiple helpers to lift the statue.

‘Black’ is part of a 25 strong herd of life-size bronze lions on the Downs – Photo: Robert J Brown

“It is shocking that someone would take the opportunity to steal from a charity,” said Karen Botha, managing director of Born Free.

“The loss of this statue will be keenly felt by the charity and impact on the work we are able to do in the field. We hope the perpetrators are caught”.

The installation is part of Born Free’s ‘Year of the Lion’ in memory of the charity’s founder, Bill Travers MBE, who would have turned 100 this year.

The public can donate to the Forever Lions Fund, set up in his memory, and the charity says the money raised will be used to help protect wild lions, resolve human-predator conflict, care for rescued lions, and stop the slaughter of lions for trophies.

Anyone with any information regarding the missing lion statue is being asked to contact the police on 101, quoting the crime number AS-20220729-0258.

Main photo: Born Free

Read more: A Safari for Survival 

Listen to the latest Bristol24/7 Behind the Headlines podcast: