Elsa the lioness

The lioness Elsa (* January 1956; † January 24, 1961 ) was a lioness, who was raised by the naturalist Joy Adamson in Kenya. The life of this lioness was held by Joy Adamson in three books:

• Born Free. A lioness in two worlds (English Born Free )
• Elsa the lioness and her cubs (English Living Free )
• Forever Free ( engl. Forever Free )

Born Free has been translated into 33 languages ​​and the Elsa - books are still popular today. The largest portion of the proceeds of the first edition has been used for organization, launched by Joy Adamson Elsa Wild Animal Appeal, which was dedicated to the protection of wildlife and their habitats.

The BBC filmed in 1965, this true story in the film Born Free ( German: Born Free - Queen of the Wild ). The main characters in this film, Virginia McKenna and her husband Bill Travers ( for Joy and George Adamson ), founded 1984, the Born Free Foundation, because they had been very impressed by the work on the film in Africa with tame and wild animals.