2025 was a year of reflection, growth, and renewed clarity of purpose for all of us at Big Life. As the landscape we protect evolves and the challenges facing wildlife and communities become more complex, we have taken an important step forward: revisiting how we define our work and the future we are striving toward.

At its core, our approach has not changed. We remain deeply committed to working alongside local communities to safeguard an extraordinary ecosystem. But as Big Life has grown - expanding our programmatic scope, strengthening partnerships, and deepening our impact - it has become essential to more clearly articulate who we are today and where we are going.

Our updated mission statement reflects this evolution: Partnering with local communities to protect iconic species and conserve habitat in the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem. It is both a reaffirmation and a sharper expression of what has always guided our work and defines our success.

At the same time, our vision looks ahead toward: A future where nature thrives and communities prosper. This is the balance we strive for every day - recognizing that long-term conservation is only possible when people and wildlife can flourish together.

These statements are more than words on a page. They represent the lived reality of our rangers in the field, the trust built with community members over years of collaboration, and the shared commitment of supporters like you who make this work possible.

As you read through this report, you will see what this looks like in action: from the protection of key wildlife corridors to the continued growth of our ranger teams and community programs. You will also see how, together, we are adapting to meet new challenges with resilience, innovation, and purpose.

The path ahead will continue to demand flexibility and partnership. Thanks to your support, one thing remains certain: Conservation succeeds when communities lead.

Richard Bonham, Co-Founder & Executive Chairman
Craig Millar, Chief Operating Officer
Benson Leyian, Chief Executive Officer

Read the Full 2025 Impact Report

Cover photo: Joshua Clay

The ranger teams stood ready.
The vet had arrived.
Everything was ready to go.

There was just one problem: the elephant had disappeared.

He had been spotted at the Ol Donyo Lodge waterhole earlier that day, but after drinking his fill, he walked off into the thick bush, and his tracks were quickly obscured by other animal traffic.

He had a wound on his hind leg, but with daylight fading, so too was the opportunity to find and treat him. We were at an impasse, but we had one more tool to deploy.

One of Big Life’s drones arrived, and we pinned our hopes on this little machine as it lifted into the sky. Up and down it buzzed, checking one elephant after the next. One battery drained, then another, and still no luck.

We found him on our last battery. The vet prepared the dart, and the drone pilot guided the vehicle in from above. The dart went in, and the ground teams took over to get the elephant into position for treatment.

The wound was at least 10 inches deep, almost certainly delivered by a spear. We don’t know why the spear was thrown, but it was likely part of a human-wildlife conflict incident. Thanks to the Kenya Wildlife Service vet unit, supported by the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, the wound was quickly treated, and the elephant was on his way.

This was a textbook use of technology. Our drone did the job that a helicopter normally would, for the tiniest fraction of the price. Without it, there is no way we would have treated this elephant.

Drones are proving themselves to be incredibly high-impact. In the battle to protect the wildlife and wild lands of Greater Amboseli, we need all the help we can get.

Thank you for making it possible.  

📹: Jeremy Goss

The Amboseli ecosystem is one of the most biodiverse landscapes in East Africa, home to more than 500 recorded bird species, ranging from nectar-sipping sunbirds to snake-stomping secretary birds. This remarkable richness is part of what makes Amboseli so iconic. Yet, with such a concentration of life, there is still much to learn.

Raptors provide a compelling example. Birds of prey play a critical role in regulating populations of rodents, reptiles, and other small animals, helping to maintain ecological balance. Due to their sensitivity to environmental change, they also serve as important indicators of ecosystem health. When raptors thrive, it often signals a resilient and functioning landscape. Improving our understanding of these species strengthens our ability to protect the habitats they depend on, as well as the many other species that share them.

Recently, we were pleased to support an operation led by Vasco Nyaga, a scientist with the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) and a PhD student at Wageningen University and Research, in collaboration with experts from the Kenya Bird of Prey Trust and the Kenya Wildlife Service. The team successfully tagged one juvenile and one subadult Martial Eagle.

Martial Eagles are among Africa’s largest eagles, powerful and wide-ranging hunters that require extensive territories to survive. Despite their size and strength, their populations are declining across much of the continent due to habitat loss and human disturbance and they are now listed as Endangered.

By gaining insights into their movements, particularly those of dispersing young birds which can cover tens of thousands of square kilometers, we can better identify and protect critical habitats, mitigate threats, and inform long-term conservation planning across the Amboseli landscape and beyond.

Every transmitter deployed, every data point collected, and every partnership formed brings us closer to understanding and safeguarding this extraordinary ecosystem and its biodiversity.

📸: The Kenya Bird of Prey Trust

“Many of the young leaders you see in Mbirikani today have been supported by Big Life in some way, and my story is no different.”

Meitamei Tipape is an impressive young man. He is the first Advocate from Mbirikani, where Big Life is headquartered, and one of only a handful in the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem.

As a boy, he herded his father’s cows alongside eland, zebras, and wildebeest. He personally experienced how Big Life compensates livestock owners when their animals are killed by lions and other predators.

Meitamei was a bright student and excelled in classes, but was forced to drop out of school during the devastating drought of 2009. Undeterred, he overcame these challenges and eventually earned a place at the prestigious University of Nairobi for a bachelor’s degree in law.

He came to Big Life for support, making an impassioned case. One of Big Life’s generous donors was so impressed by him that through Big Life, she sponsored the costs of his education.

After passing his exams, he was admitted to the bar last year. Now, Meitamei has opened a legal practice in Kimana, stating ‘Big Life has done a tremendous amount to help the Maasai community in Amboseli, and I am keen to repay that support both for my community as well as for conservation.”

Meitamei’s story is a powerful reminder that lasting conservation depends on investing in people. And when people thrive, conservation does too.

Pongezi kaka!