We’re excited to share some good news: the recent addition of seven cubs to one of the lion prides that once again roams the Chyulu Hills.

15 years ago, the last known lion pride in the Chyulu Hills was staring down the barrel at local extinction. Human-wildlife conflict has been an ongoing struggle in the ecosystem.

The story would have played out along these lines: something had snapped inside the man. He walked quietly into the bush and found his dead cow only slightly moved from where it had been killed. He pulled a packet of poison from his pocket and emptied the contents on the carcass. By the next morning, eight lions were dead.

Apex predators are critical to the health of any ecosystem, and the population was at the tipping point. So it was that Big Life’s Predator Compensation Fund (PCF) was established. The agreement was made to ensure that nothing like this ever happened again: Big Life would cover some of the economic costs associated with livestock depredation, and in return, the community would stop killing predators.

It was a simple (some might say obvious) idea that came from the community themselves, and the results have been extraordinary. Over these many years, the lion population has grown.

Our efforts, together with the support of local communities and one of our conservation partners Lion Guardians, are paying off. The world is searching for ways to promote coexistence between humans and large carnivores, and in Amboseli we have found a solution that is working. Seven new cubs are inspiring evidence of that success.

Thank you for your support of this critical program.