Last year, in a highly efficient joint operation over two days, Big Life and partners successfully fitted GPS tracking collars on eight elephants.

We collared four crop-raiding bulls near Amboseli National Park (NP), to monitor their movements and intervene before they come into conflict with farmers. The other four were from a population we know little about…

The elephants of the Chyulu Hills and surrounds are enigmatic and much shyer than their famous counterparts from Amboseli NP. With so many changes occurring in the ecosystem, we collared two Chyulu males and two females to learn more about their movements and needs, and therefore design better strategies to protect them.

Months later, we noticed that one of the females had barely moved in four days. This was very unusual, as they had been traveling to water every two days. Anxious to check on her, we sent our drone unit to investigate.

The thermal images revealed a wonderful sight: a tiny calf trailing her mom, their family packed tightly around them, standing guard. Exciting as this was it was a complete surprise, had we known that she was pregnant she would not have been darted.

This birth comes alongside the 220 plus calves born in Amboseli last year, all part of an exciting national upward trend for elephants.

We are already seeing fascinating data from the collared Chyulu elephants, including confirmation that they do not venture to Amboseli NP (at least not frequently) and appear to have stronger geographic overlap with the Tsavo population.

The risks these elephants face are numerous, but thanks to your support, we can better protect them and keep a close eye on this young family going forward.

We don’t usually celebrate failure, but…

Yesterday, Kiliavo’s fifth legal case - this one a petition to Kenya’s Supreme Court - ended the same way as all their previous cases: in failure.

For those not familiar with Kiliavo, it’s a saga that is now into its 5^th year. In 2020 Kiliavo started ploughing land to plant avocados in the Kimana Conservancies to the east of Amboseli, in an important wildlife corridor. Following an uproar by the local community, government, and tourism and conservation stakeholders, their license to operate was revoked.

Yesterday was another important step in the protracted legal battle that has followed. The Supreme Court dismissal means that the 2021 license revocation stands, and the farm has no legal grounds for operation.

We would never have expected Kiliavo to keep fighting after so many legal setbacks, and we can’t predict what will happen next. Nevertheless, as our CEO Benson Leyian says:

“Today marks another big win in Amboseli’s battle against illegal and unsustainable development. Faced with growing pressure on land, water, and wildlife, local residents and the Kajiado County Government have taken the responsible step of agreeing on clear land-use plans to sustain the productivity of this landscape for future generations.”

“Unscrupulous developers are trying all means to undermine these plans, and KiliAvo’s repeated court failures send a strong message that these attempts carry serious financial, legal, and reputational costs.”

Thank you to everyone who has supported and fought alongside us so far, including local residents (ALOCA), Kenya Wildlife Service, Conservation Alliance of Kenya, Amboseli Trust for Elephants, and Wildlife Direct, among many others.

📸: Jeremy Goss

Pangolins are the most heavily trafficked mammal on Earth. Worse still, they have held this title for more than a decade.

Persecuted because of a bogus belief in East Asia that their scales carry medicinal value, all eight pangolin species found across the globe are threatened with extinction. Just like rhino horn and human fingernails, pangolin scales are made of keratin and have no medicinal value. Additionally, due to their rarity, pangolins are also sought after as a luxury food item. The black market for illegally trafficked animals like pangolins appears to know no bounds.

Here in the Greater Amboseli ecosystem, pangolins are extremely rare and only found in specific areas that are increasingly shrinking. As a result, arrests for pangolin trafficking are uncommon, comprising just 2% of all arrests we’ve supported since 2016.

Nevertheless, our intelligence network is always listening for suspicious activity. Late last year, we received word of an individual trying to sell a live pangolin.

After two months of tracking, the suspect was finally arrested towards the end of December. The pangolin was still alive and in decent enough condition to be handed over to KWS for eventual release.

The suspect pleaded guilty, and as per Kenya’s Wildlife Conservation and Management Act, they have been sentenced and will serve three years in prison for possessing and intending to trade in a live wildlife species.

While pangolins may not be a major focus of our anti-poaching work because of their rarity, they are an important part of the Amboseli ecosystem and a precious reminder that we share a planet with some of the most incredible animals.

We will do all we can to ensure wildlife continues to thrive here in Amboseli. Thank you for your support.

Big Life’s rangers heard the commotion before they even got to the scene. Squealing, splashing, and trumpeting – all clear sounds of distress.

Despite being only a few meters wide, the water level in the river flowing through Kimana Sanctuary increased sharply following rains on Mount Kilimanjaro, and an elephant calf had become stuck while attempting to cross it with the rest of its family.

It was a delicate situation. The calf’s family was understandably stressed and had to be directed gently away from the scene with a vehicle so that the rangers could attempt to rescue it. Too small to tranquilize, it took three rangers to quickly pull it out of the water.

After it was hoisted out, our rangers gave it a moment to collect itself before reuniting it with its family.  

Whether it’s arresting poachers, preventing elephants from raiding crops, or rescuing little elephant calves, our rangers are on hand day-in and day-out to protect wildlife here in Amboseli.

Your donation makes their work possible. Thank you to our supporters the world over for making rescue missions like this a success.