Actress-turned-animal rights activist Brigitte Bardot celebrated her 72nd birthday yesterday with a rare press conference to plug her wildlife foundation. The star, supported by crutches, told Paris reporters she felt compelled to speak out about the worrying increase of fur in fashion as her charity celebrated it 20th anniversary. However, she admitted the Brigitte Bardot Foundation had made huge steps in recent years, including the European Parliament agreeing to back a call for a ban on the trade of seal products within the 25-member bloc. She said, "I'm 72 and this is one of the best birthdays I've had. (This work is) the most wonderful success of my life." The Paris-based Brigitte Bardot Foundation boasts 57,000 donors in 20 countries across the globe.