This year the Chyulu Hills have taken on a new meaning to their fond description of ‘The Green Hills of Africa’.

In several joint operations, our intelligence team has collaborated with the KWS, The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and the Kenya Police to weed out a spate of marijuana cultivation within the Chyulu Hills National Park.

Our intelligence work has resulted in 8 incidents this year, which is already the highest we have recorded since 2018. Two people have been arrested in two cases, with one suspect caught in possession of 108kgs of dried marijuana. Just last week, our informers led KWS and Sheldrick teams to another plantation within the park.

Big Life has been operating in the Amboseli Ecosystem for more than a quarter of a century, and what becomes clear after so many years is that illegal activity often comes in waves. Some years, sandalwood poaching skyrockets, some years it’s bushmeat poaching, this year, there has been a slight uptick in marijuana cultivation.

While trends fluctuate, what remains constant is our presence and determination to protect this ecosystem’s wild spaces.

And that is what is making the difference.