MEDIA STATEMENT   
Incident at Big Life Foundation Kenya Headquarters, 13th May 2023
Attributable to Richard Bonham, Executive Chairman - Big Life Foundation Kenya

Mbirikani, Kenya - Six lions have been killed on Mbirikani Ranch, in the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem of southern Kenya, on the morning of Saturday May 13th.

The incident unfolded after a group of nine subadult lions broke into a livestock enclosure near Mbirikani town on the night of May 12th, killing 12 goats and a dog. Big Life Foundation’s community wildlife rangers responded immediately, pushing the lions away from the homestead. The lions then moved into Big Life’s fenced headquarters nearby.

Big Life staff were able to push three lions out of the premises during the night and they moved away from the town to safety, but the other six remained inside the compound overnight. Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) arrived on the scene in the morning, and a vet was mobilised from Tsavo Conservation Area to assess the potential for translocation. In the meantime, the preliminary decision was made to leave the lions inside the compound until the following night when they could leave safely under cover of darkness. The Kenya Police Service was also on the scene to ensure human safety throughout the day.

Over the course of the day, a crowd continued to build, and tensions spilled over as dozens of people broke through the compound fence, spearing all six lions. Many members of the crowd were armed with spears, and any intervention by KWS, the Kenya Police Service, or Big Life would have risked escalation of an extremely volatile situation, and almost certainly resulted in human injury or death.

While we are relieved there were no human injuries, this isolated but tragic incident is a harsh illustration of the challenges in ensuring co-existence between human and wildlife. Big Life remains committed to the wellbeing of both humans and animals in the Greater Amboseli ecosystem and will continue to work with the broader community who supports conservation initiatives as we recover from this event.

This incident exemplifies the ongoing need for Big Life’s predator protection programs. The number of lions killed by humans on Mbirikani Ranch has dropped 97% since Big Life started a livestock compensation program (known as the Predator Compensation Fund) in 2003, along with other complementary initiatives. In the one and a half years before the Predator Compensation Fund launched, at least 31 lions were killed on Mbirikani. In the 20 years since, until today’s incident, only 13 have been killed.

The situation is being taken extremely seriously by Kenya Wildlife Service. The KWS Director General and Chairman of the Board both arrived by helicopter within a matter of hours. While the incident is under investigation by Kenya Wildlife Service, Big Life is unable to comment further at this time.

ENDS

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To learn more about Memo Paris, visit: https://us.memoparis.com

When the rains first started to fall last month, it was hard to contain our enthusiasm. But we couldn’t get too excited, because as amazing as it was to see rain after such a brutal drought, we needed more than just a few showers to put this crisis behind us.

The good news is that the rains have fallen steadily, regularly, and widely across Greater Amboseli and we’re finally breathing a sigh of relief. The crisis is over, for now.

We will feel the effects of this drought for years as wildlife, livestock, and grasslands recover to their pre-drought levels. For now, from the Chyulu Hills to the slopes of Kilimanjaro, the land is looking lush.

The bad news is that we’ll probably be in a similar situation again in the not-too-distant future. A new study highlights the fact that the chance of drought is increasing annually in East Africa. As it stands, this year’s rain forecast is still below normal, despite the rains we’re seeing.

We already suspected that climate change is making this current natural drought cycle more severe. But this new data has uncovered a shocking truth: human-caused climate change has made severe drought 100 times more likely in East Africa than it was in the preindustrial era.

So while we celebrate the current rains, we’re also focusing our efforts on sustainability and climate resiliency. Land-use planning, rangelands restoration, grazing plans, and carbon sequestration will all play an increasing role as we seek to protect the wildlife and wild lands of East Africa. Timelapse: Josh Clay

Earth Day was born in 1970. Our home was a different planet 50 years ago, and the problems were nothing compared to what we face now. BUT WE CHOOSE TO BE HOPEFUL. Nature has the solutions, she just needs a bit of help.

The Chyulu Hills REDD+ Project is one of nature’s helpers, and one that you can get involved in. The project incentivizes communities to protect nature by offering payments for the carbon stored in natural habitats. It’s a win-win situation: biodiversity is protected, carbon emissions are reduced, and local communities benefit economically.

The protected forests of the Chyulu Hills are home to a wide variety of iconic wildlife, including elephants, lions, and a very special population of critically endangered Eastern black rhinos.

The Chyulu REDD+ project protects over 1 million acres of land, including these forests, in the Amboseli-Tsavo-Kilimanjaro ecosystem, resulting in the storage of over 37 million metric tons of carbon, equivalent to taking more than 8 million cars off the road for a year.

Revenue from carbon sales supports community needs such as education scholarships and improved access to clean water, and it funds the direct costs of conservation such as ranger salaries and equipment.

By protecting and restoring our forests, we can mitigate the effects of climate change, promote biodiversity, and support the communities who depend on these vital ecosystems. As we celebrate Earth Day, let's remember the power of nature and the importance of investing in our planet.

You can calculate your carbon footprint and offset your impact here:

Or, to purchase carbon credits in support of Big Life specifically,
please click here:

PURCHASE CARBON CREDITS TO SUPPORT BIG LIFE