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

Our rangers patrol hundreds of thousands of kilometers a year. In an ecosystem as diverse as Amboseli, being able to get around quickly and respond to incidents on demand is a matter of life or death. And tough terrain means keeping our rangers mobile is no small matter. Our ranger vehicles require special modifications to make them bush ready, from roll bars to paint. Quality vehicles that are dependable and able to be maintained by our in-house team of mechanics are a gamechanger.

So we were extremely grateful to our partners at Part Time Rangers for helping to fund a new ranger vehicle for us this year. Battling supply chain issues was an operation in itself, but the newest member of our fleet is now actively patrolling the Kenya-Tanzania border in the Enduimet Wildlife Management Area, covering more ground and having a major impact.

FUN FACT: this part of our area of operation has a very different landscape from the rest of Greater Amboseli, so our new vehicle is tan for better camouflage, rather than the green you see on the rest of our fleet.

Thank you, Part Time Rangers for your ongoing commitment to wildlife conservation in East Africa!

Recently, Big Life informers sent along information about two suspects trafficking ivory. The intel led to a successful KWS operation that saw the arrest of two suspects in possession of 37 pieces of elephant tusks weighing 106 kg. As our informer network grows, these operations are happening more frequently and increasingly further afield from our core area of operations (AOO). In this case, the suspects were arrested in Samburu, north of Nairobi.

Big Life Foundation has a wide and highly effective intelligence network that collects information from across Kenya and beyond. We then work closely with the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) on intel-related busts, directly supporting operations within our AOO.

The role of the local Maasai people in wildlife conservation efforts cannot be overstated. The success of the recent bust is testament to the trust that these communities have in reporting suspicious activity to Big Life Foundation. This trust has been built over many years of working together and is a reflection of the positive impact that Big Life has had in these communities.

The illegal trade in wildlife products like elephant ivory is a serious threat to the survival of many endangered species. Big Life's intel network and partnership with KWS are critical in the fight against this trade. Together, we have demonstrated that wildlife conservation is a collaborative effort that involves not just the government and field organizations like Big Life but also the local community. Only through such collaboration can we hope to protect our natural heritage for future generations.