African Sandalwood is a plant that is unremarkable in appearance but extraordinary in fragrance. Sandalwood oil is used in cosmetics, perfumes, and medicines the world over.

It’s a plant that’s in extremely high demand, making it incredibly valuable, but all attempts to cultivate and farm it have failed. Combined with slow growth, minimal protection, and a lack of understanding of its range and ecology, and you have all the ingredients for extinction.

The Chyulu Hills in Big Life’s operating area are an important stronghold for the species, which has made it a target for the illegal sandalwood trade.

Between 2021 and 2023, in collaboration with the Kenya Wildlife Service, our rangers and intelligence network have arrested 105 sandalwood harvesters and traffickers and confiscated 21.5 tonnes of sandalwood. Just last week, we arrested a key player in a local smuggling ring.

We don’t know if these numbers tell the story of a growing threat, or if we’re simply making more busts thanks to our ever-growing intelligence network. What we do know is that our efforts are making a difference for the future of this tree. Supporting our rangers with stable funding is crucial for safeguarding East Africa's wildlife, habitats, and Maasai communities. Please join our Ranger Club with a monthly contribution to sustain their efforts. Every contribution makes a difference!

New members or those increasing their July donation receive a special gift.  You’ll also enjoy exclusive program updates, 20% off Big Life merchandise in our e-store, and the satisfaction of directly impacting conservation efforts in East Africa. Thank you for your support!

🎥 : Joshua Clay & Keith Allen

When we asked Sergeant Sinkoi Kanchori of our Chyulu Hills Ranger Unit what he liked most about being a Big Life ranger, he said, “I enjoy being a ranger because it provides me with a steady salary. This means I can look after my family and pay for my children’s school fees. I am also proud to protect the landscape I grew up in, and I would be very sad to see iconic animals like lions, giraffes, rhinos, and elephants disappear. My work as ranger ensures that the wild animals that were so plentiful when I was a boy can continue to prosper in this ecosystem.”

That’s the spirit with which we created the Ranger Club, our monthly giving program. For Sergeant Kanchori, a steady salary means the world of difference for his family and his ability to protect the ecosystem he grew up in.

Our rangers are the core of our operations, and the heart and soul of our conservation success in Greater Amboseli. Without them, the fabric of Amboseli would unravel.

And without you, none of it is possible. By becoming a monthly donor in Big Life’s Ranger Club program, you not only support the protection of threatened wildlife and habitats, you also help us conserve resources. Monthly giving maximizes the impact of your gift by providing reliable funding for our conservation programs.

Throughout the month of July in the lead up to World Ranger Day, new Ranger Club members, or existing members who increase their monthly gift, will receive a special thank you from Big Life.

There are other perks to joining, including exclusive program updates, an annual impact report, and discounts on Big Life merchandise in our e-store.

Please join the Ranger Club today! 📸: Jeremy Goss

2023 was a year of immense growth for Big Life.

The previous year was defined by a devastating drought that stretched our resources thin as we fought to protect the most vulnerable parts of our ecosystem. We succeeded, thanks to the generous support of our donors.

Since then, we have received good rains, and wildlife populations are recovering. The relief that came with the rains has allowed us to redouble our efforts to protect critical habitat areas. At the request of local communities, we are heavily involved in helping to develop land use plans that protect the overall health of the ecosystem. We are also actively working to secure the most heavily-used wildlife migration corridors, protecting them from development via conservation leases. This includes the Nairrabala corridor north of Amboseli National Park, as well as areas in Mbirikani, Kimana and Eselengei.

In the meantime, our ranger teams are expanding and focusing on keeping wildlife and wild lands safe from illegal activity. This includes mitigating human-wildlife conflict, preventing poaching, arresting traffickers, and supporting wildlife rescues. It also means preventing illegal land development and habitat destruction. As always, our rangers are stepping up to the challenges that a changing landscape is handing to us.

In some cases, our success creates new challenges. A thriving lion population is testing the boundaries of our predator protection programs, and despite any setbacks we experienced in 2023, we have come out the other side stronger with renewed commitments from the community for lion conservation. The lion population now numbers more than 250, a dramatic improvement from when we started our Predator Compensation Fund 20 years ago, when there were as few as 20 lions in the ecosystem.

None of our work protecting the Greater Amboseli ecosystem is possible without you, our donors. Thank for you for helping to keep our boots on the ground and eyes on the horizon.
 
Sincerely,
 
Richard Bonham, Co-Founder and Executive Chairman
Craig Millar, Chief Operating Officer
Benson Leyian, Chief Executive Officer
Big Life Kenya

Read the Full 2023 Impact Report

Photo: Jeremy Goss

Kenya’s roads are notoriously dangerous. They claim the lives of thousands of people each year. What is less reported on is the effect they also have on wildlife.

Built in 2007, the Emali-Loitokitok Highway runs through the heart of Big Life’s area of operation (AOO). There are few potholes and almost no speedbumps – and that is a problem. With no restrictions on the speeds cars, trucks, and motorbikes can drive, collisions with wildlife are increasingly common.

We collect data on all wildlife fatalities, including those caused by vehicles, and since 2018, an average of 30 large mammals have been killed each year in our AOO. 2019 was the deadliest year with 49 fatalities. Zebras, giraffes, and gazelles top the list of victims, but rarer species including 3 cheetahs (one of which was killed just last week), a lion, and even shockingly an elephant have also met their end on this road. Hyenas, like the striped hyena in this image, are also common victims, as they are often the ones scavenging from other roadkill. 

There is sadly little we can do to protect wildlife across most of this road, but we have come up with a solution for arguably its most important section.

The Kimana Corridor is the only link between Amboseli National Park, Kimana Sanctuary, and the ecosystems beyond towards Chyulu and Tsavo National Parks. The Corridor is crucial for the ecosystem’s migrating wildlife, and it is used by everything from elephants, lions, and giraffes to aardvarks and springhares.

Recognizing its importance, we installed speedbumps on either side of the road that meets the corridor. Since this intervention, we have not recorded a single wildlife mortality in that area, demonstrating that small adjustments are sometimes all that are needed to make a big difference. For the Kimana Corridor at least, are relieved that scenes such as this should never happen again.

Photo: Joshua Clay