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Big Life Foundation

@biglifeafrica

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Partnering with local communities to protect iconic species and conserve habitat in the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem.

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EYES IN THE SKY, PEACE ON THE GROUNDA lioness with young cubs had been preying on livestock, breaking repeatedly into homesteads. With tensions reaching a boiling point, it was only a matter of time before tragedy struck.It’s a duel that has played out for generations: human versus lion. Except this time, there is a third player: a thermal drone.Orbili is a remote settlement at the base of the Chyulu Hills and has always been a hotspot for conflict. For the Maasai communities living here, livestock is their primary source of wealth, so the loss of even a single cow, sheep, or goat has a significant financial and emotional impact.A Big Life mobile unit had been working closely with @lionguardians_ to keep the lioness out of the settlement, but it was proving impossible in the dark. When they went one way, she went the other.Our drone unit was called in to assist and the results were immediate. With the ability to spot her in the dark from above it took just two flights to chase this lioness away. Her cubs have since grown enough that she has rejoined her pride and is no longer a threat to the community at Orbili.Our thermal drones have completely revolutionized our ability to safely respond to incidents and have become an indispensable part of our operations. In the hands of our skilled pilots, they are proving to be game changers in keeping the peace between people and wildlife.📹: @jjkclay#lion #wildlife #thermaldrone #kenya #conservation by @biglifeafrica

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Thank you! 💚Because of this incredible community, we're already 37 steps closer to our goal of welcoming 50 new or upgraded Ranger Club members by World Ranger Day.Every single one of these new monthly commitments gives our rangers the dependable resources they need to protect wildlife and support the communities that make conservation possible.If you've been thinking about joining our Ranger Club, this is the perfect time. Help us close the gap, reach our goal together, and stand alongside the rangers who protect Greater Amboseli every single day.Join us before July 31st and be entered to win a poster of One Ton. The poster honors the legacy of one of Amboseli’s iconic super tuskers, protected by Big Life’s rangers throughout his life.Join the Ranger Club. Link in Bio. 📸: Keith Allen#RangerClub #Conservation #Kenya #BigLife by @biglifeafrica

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A GRIEF ENCOUNTER?It’s been heartwarming to read the many tributes to One Ton, and it appears that it’s not just humans that have paid their respects.This remarkable video by @rideoldonyo shows an inquisitive bull elephant taking time to gently smell and touch One Ton’s carcass, and the volume of elephant droppings around his body suggest this hasn’t been the only visitor.Elephants preferentially seek out elephant bones compared to other animal remains, smelling them, moving them, even putting them in their mouths. There have been countless observations of elephants standing over other elephant bodies, even placing branches or grass on them. What is more intriguing is that they do this regardless of whether the dead elephant is a relative or known to them.It’s a behaviour that touches the core of us as humans. To see such profound reactions to death in another species deepens the affinity we have for these remarkable mammals, and it’s no stretch to believe they are expressing a form of grief.It’s possible that because of the intensity and longevity of elephant relationships, they might experience a strong sense of compassion for a dead elephant they didn’t know.Or perhaps they inspect all carcasses in a bid to find out how the elephant died, demonstrating a level of curiosity we would typically associate with humans. The truth is we simply don’t know what is taking place in their enormous brains, and we might never know.What we do know is that One Ton’s carcass will deposit an avalanche of nutrients into the soil in a final gift to this landscape. It will become a micro-ecosystem, supporting millions of insects in the short term and hundreds of grazing animals in the long term. A lasting legacy from an extraordinary being.#elephant #wildlife #kenya #oneton by @biglifeafrica

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AGE-MATES WITH A SUPER TUSKERAt just 36 years old, Tee-Jay is considered by many to be the crown prince of Amboseli. While he is impressive in his own right, Tee-Jay is also descended from greatness. As a member of the illustrious T family, his uncle was Tim, his great-uncle was Tolstoy, and his aunts and great-aunts were Theodora and Teresia. Not only have his family members consistently had some of the longest tusks, but they have always had a firm presence in either Amboseli National Park or Kimana Sanctuary. Tee-Jay is just a few years older than Big Life Ranger, Constable Daniel Kutata. In Maasai society, this would mean they are part of the same age set, sharing a spiritual bond for life as brothers and equals. The significance is not lost on Daniel, who has protected and cared for Tee-Jay’s relatives during their lives and even in their last moments. Now that the previous generation has passed, it is fast becoming Tee-Jay and Daniel’s time to step into some very big footsteps.If all goes well, both of them will be right here in Amboseli doing exactly the same thing, 15 years from now!None of this information would exist without @amboseli_trust, who for more than 50 years have documented the lives and losses of this remarkable elephant population. We’re grateful to have them as partners in protecting Amboseli’s elephants. Ensuring elephants like Tee-Jay remain part of Amboseli’s future also depends on rangers being in the field every day. In honor of World Ranger Day on July 31, we’re hoping to reach 50 new or increased Ranger Club memberships during July.Everyone who joins the Ranger Club as a new monthly donor—or increases their current monthly gift—during July will be entered into a drawing to receive a One Ton elephant poster. The poster honors the legacy of one of Amboseli’s iconic super tuskers, protected by Big Life’s rangers throughout his life.Join the Ranger Club: https://give.biglife.org/-/XGRLGXPB📹: @jjkclay#RangerClub #Conservation #Wildlife #Community #Kenya by @biglifeafrica

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THROUGH DANIEL'S LENS 📸When he's not tracking elephants or responding to wildlife emergencies, Constable Daniel Kutata always has an eye out for the little moments that make the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem so special.Here are a few of his favorite photos from patrol. Which one is your favorite? These moments are also a reminder of what Daniel and his fellow rangers work to protect every day. By joining the Ranger Club, you provide dependable monthly support that helps keep rangers in the field, respond when wildlife and communities need help, and safeguard the remarkable Greater Amboseli ecosystem throughout the year.Join the Ranger Club: https://give.biglife.org/-/XGRLGXPB📹: @jjkclay#RangerClub #BigLifeFoundation #Conservation #Kenya #Amboseli #Elephants #WildlifePhotography by @biglifeafrica

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For Constable Daniel Kutata, protecting the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem means protecting his home.Daniel was born and raised near Kimana Sanctuary, where his family still lives today. Here he shares why this landscape means so much to him, and why dependable monthly support matters to him and his fellow rangers protecting it.Monthly donors through our Ranger Club help keep patrols moving, support rapid responses when wildlife and communities need help, and give rangers the resources they depend on throughout the year.Before World Ranger Day on July 31, we hope to welcome 50 new or increased monthly gifts.By giving monthly, you help provide that protection month after month. It costs just $17 to protect an elephant for a single day, but any amount makes a huge impact! Join Daniel and Big Life’s rangers in our mission to protect Greater Amboseli. Link in Bio.📹: @jjkclay#WorldRangerDay #SupportRangers #ProtectElephants #GreaterAmboseli #BigLifeFoundation by @biglifeafrica

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A PASSION FOR PACHYDERMS: MEET CONSTABLE DANIEL KUTATAConstable Daniel Kutata loves elephants.Spending time with him, it doesn’t take long to see why. His knowledge of their behaviour is extraordinary, and he can even identify some individuals by their footprints.Daniel’s life is inextricably linked with Amboseli’s elephants. He grew up watching them on his literal doorstep in Namelok, a farming settlement close to Amboseli National Park. This has given him an intimate understanding of the good and the bad sides to coexisting with them.“Elephants are so clever. They can raid a farm and see the crops are not ripe yet and will come back weeks later exactly when it is time to harvest. This is terrible for farmers, but you have to admire how intelligent they are.”Since Daniel joined Big Life as a ranger in 2018, he has become of our leading specialists in human-elephant conflict, and he credits his father for guiding his boyhood passion towards a career:“My dad was a verification officer for Big Life’s Predator Compensation Program, and he would always come home and tell me stories about the wildlife he saw, how his job helps prevent conflict with lions, and the importance of protecting wildlife. I learned that you could earn a living by protecting wildlife.”Now that he is a father to his own children, “I see it as my duty to pass the message to my kids that we must keep wild land, wild. I don’t want my boys to grow up in a world that only has stories about elephants.”In the coming weeks, we'll be sharing more of Daniel's story and the work he and his fellow rangers do every day on the front-line of human-elephant conflict. If you'd like a behind-the-scenes look at their work, please consider joining our Ranger Club as a monthly donor.Join today. Link in Bio.📸: @jjkclay#elephant #conservation #wildlife #rangers #rangerclub by @biglifeafrica

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SNARED GIRAFFE RESCUEDWhat do you see when you look at a giraffe?Grace personified? A wonder of evolution? A symbol of Africa’s wild places? Sadly, not everyone sees them that way. As the dry season takes hold, wildlife is pushed closer to human settlements in search of water, just as seasonal income from farming dries up. For a small minority of people, that pressure can make bushmeat poaching seem like an option.But far more people in this ecosystem choose a different path. When a community member spotted this giraffe walking with a snare around its neck, they immediately called Big Life's Radio Room. Our rangers responded and contacted the @kenyawildlifeservice (KWS) vet. Because the report came late in the day, the veterinary team could only reach the site the following morning.In the past, keeping track of the animal overnight would have been a major challenge. Today, our thermal drones allow us to monitor wildlife safely through the night, ensuring the giraffe remained within reach until first light.The following morning, the KWS SWT-funded vet successfully darted the giraffe, removed the snare, administered treatment, and then watched as it got back to its feet and disappeared into the bush. Bushmeat poaching will always be a threat to wildlife in Amboseli, but in this case the combination of our ranger teams, community relationships, cutting-edge technology, and partnerships played a vital role in giving this giraffe a second chance.Responses like this depend on sustained support long before a call comes in. Ranger Club members help ensure our rangers, radios, vehicles, and conservation technology are ready when wildlife needs them most. Help us reach 50 new or increased members by World Ranger Day and stand with the rangers protecting wildlife every day.Join the Ranger Club today. Link in Bio.🎥: @jjkclay#giraffe #girafferescue #wildliferescue #kenya@kenyawildlifeservice @sheldricktrust by @biglifeafrica

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What does it mean to be a member of the Ranger Club?It means becoming part of a dedicated community of supporters who help sustain conservation every day of the year—not just during emergencies or fundraising campaigns.As a Ranger Club member, you'll receive:• A welcome letter and official Ranger Club sticker• Exclusive monthly email updates from the field• An annual impact newsletter• A yearly consolidated tax receipt• 20% off items in Big Life's e-storeMost importantly, you'll provide the steady, reliable support that allows our rangers to protect wildlife, assist local communities, and respond whenever and wherever they are needed.This month, we're working toward our goal of welcoming 50 new Ranger Club members by World Ranger Day. If you've been looking for a meaningful way to deepen your connection to conservation in Greater Amboseli, this is it.As a bonus, new and increasing members this month will be entered to win a One Ton elephant poster, celebrating the legacy of one of Amboseli’s most iconic super tuskers and the ongoing work of Big Life’s rangers to protect elephants like him.Join today and stand alongside the rangers protecting wildlife every day. Link in Bio.📸: @jjkclay#RangerClub #WorldRangerDay #ConservationSucceedsWhenCommunitiesLead by @biglifeafrica

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Every day across the Greater Amboseli Ecosystem, hundreds of rangers step out before dawn to protect wildlife, respond to threats, assist communities, and safeguard one of Africa's most important landscapes.They are the first line of defense for elephants, lions, and countless other species—and they can't do it alone.Today we're launching our Ranger Club campaign with a goal of welcoming 50 new members (and inspiring current members to increase their support!) before World Ranger Day on July 31.By joining the Ranger Club, you'll provide dependable monthly support that helps keep rangers in the field, vehicles fueled, radios operating, and conservation efforts moving forward every single day.Monthly giving may seem small, but its impact is enormous. It allows us to plan ahead, respond quickly, and stand alongside local communities protecting wildlife for the long term.Will you join Big Life’s Ranger Club this month and stand with the rangers who stand for wildlife every day? To join the Ranger Club, visit biglife.org or click on the link in bio.📸: @jjkclay#WorldRangerDay #RangerClub #ConservationSucceedsWhenCommunitiesLead by @biglifeafrica

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FAREWELL, OLD FRIENDThrough my 40-year career in conservation, I’ve had many days turned on their head by a phone call, but this was the one I had long dreaded.One Ton was dead.In an instant, my world seemed to lose some of its magic.I had known One Ton for 30 years. My three children all grew up with him, and I watched him gradually give us his trust as ours in him grew. He was one of the first elephants to decide that our family swimming pool was actually a watering hole, and who were we to deny him?I watched his tusks grow, then break in fights and regrow. It was those enormous tusks that eventually put him in the small and treasured group of Africa’s living supertuskers, but there so was much more to this elephant than his tusks.He was an inspirational presence. When I was down, feeling like there was no way through some conservation challenge, One Ton seemed to have this knack of appearing out of the forest as if to remind me what we work so hard to protect.I believe that connection went both ways.He came to us twice with what would have been fatal wounds, and I am certain he came looking for help. Both times, we coordinated with the @sheldricktrust and @kenyawildlifeservice vet teams to respond and treat him.Over the years, he became an icon and a source of wonder to everyone lucky enough to meet him and experience his gentle yet overwhelming presence. The Maasai he lived alongside called him ‘Mpole’ (pronounced ‘mm-POH-lay’), or ‘Gentle One,’ because they never had to worry when he came close to their village, as he was so calm.Through the sadness, we must remember he was lucky. He lived carefree, and thanks to Big Life rangers - his guardians for decades - he never had to run in fear from poachers’ bullets.Thank you for the heartfelt messages and to everyone who contributed to Big Life and helped steward One Ton through his long, special life. Together, we will honor his legacy by continuing to protect this magical place he called home.How privileged we were to have known him, and what a friend to lose.With gratitude for all who helped protect him,Richard BonhamCo-Founder & Executive ChairmanBig Life Kenya by @biglifeafrica

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Big Life’s Co-founder Richard Bonham will be sharing his personal reflections later this week, but in the meantime, Big Life is extremely sad to report the loss of One Ton, a Kenya icon. The beloved ‘super tusker’ elephant died in the Chyulu Hills on Sunday. We are confident his death was due to natural causes, and that provides some comfort, although we may never know the exact reason. He had simply lain down, and there were no signs of any struggle to stand up again.One Ton had grown into something of a totem for Big Life, after Richard first met him about 30 years ago. At that time, he was skittish and temperamental, but over the decades being protected by Big Life’s rangers, he became exceptionally trusting of people and vehicles. After knowing him for so long, the loss of this extraordinary individual will leave a huge hole in our hearts. From the rangers who protected him, to the wider Big Life community, to the guides and guests who saw him near daily, as well as the thousands who tuned in from across the world to watch One Ton on the Ol Donyo waterhole livestream.We estimate that One Ton was in his fifties, which is old for a male elephant of his size, and we had known that this day would come. However sad his death is, One Ton lived a long life and did not die at the hands of man. As conservationists and those who loved him, we really cannot ask for more than that.Thank you for spending time with us, old friend. Your inspiration lives on in us all. 📸: @jeremy.goss#Kenya #Tusker #elephant #OneTon #ChyuluHills by @biglifeafrica

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