Born Free Foundation name Cheetah cub in memory of Pollyana
We are proud to announce that the Born Free Foundation have named a cheetah cub in rememberance of Pollyanna on what would have been her 78th birthday.
Pollyanna was a longstanding patron of the Foundation, and was always delighted when her artwork could help support a cause so close to her own heart.
The cub was seized by the Somali State authorities in Ethiopia, having most likely been taken from the wild to meet the demands of the pet trade in the Middle East. Thought to be about three months old, and rescued alongside her brother Coro, Pollyanna is now receiving lifetime care at Ensessa Kotteh, Born Free’s wildlife sanctuary in Ethiopia.
Virginia McKenna OBE, Born Free’s Co-Founder and Trustee, said: “Pollyanna first came into our lives 30 years ago. She travelled to India to do a painting of five tigers we had rescued from a travelling circus. We were, from the start, bound by our love and admiration for animals. And it was through her extraordinary talent as a wildlife artist, her loyalty to our charity and our deepening friendship, that our relationship never ended.
In a very special connection to the past, we planted a tree in her name at Ensessa Kotteh. This is one of the many places where her name will live on. Through Pollyanna, the beautiful little cheetah, the flourishing tree, and in our hearts. She was, as we all know, one of life’s true givers. Illustrating a poetry book by the amazing poet Richard Bonfield and holding numerous events for Born Free at her gallery. And always warming us with her smile. But for me she was, above all, a loyal, generous and beautiful friend– qualities that Anna-Louise has inherited beyond all doubt.”
Pollyanna’s daughter Anna-Louise continues as President of the Pollyanna Pickering Foundation. She said “There could be no more wonderful and fitting tribute to Pollyanna’s memory. She was passionate about conservation and the animals she painted, and always had a very special fondness for cheetahs. Our Foundation will be proud to fund the lifetime care of Pollyanna cheetah in her new home, and we ae proud to be able to help give this beautiful cat the opportunity to live a safe and happy life in the lovely surroundings of Born Free’s sanctuary”.
Updating on Pollyanna, Maggie Balaskas, Born Free’s Animal Rescue & Care Manager, added: “Both cubs have settled in well to their new life at Ensessa Kotteh, they have made a good recovery from their ordeal, are certainly more relaxed now and continue to gain confidence. They have been getting along famously and appear to have a close bond, rarely straying far from one another, playing together, and grooming each other.”