Big Life Foundation

What Big Life Foundation does

Big Life Foundation protects wildlife and habitat in the Amboseli-Tsavo-Kilimanjaro ecosystem along the Kenya–Tanzania border, an area known for its elephants. It was founded in September 2010 by photographer Nick Brandt, conservationist Richard Bonham and entrepreneur Tom Hill, and says it now works across nearly two million acres.

Its model rests on local, community-based protection. Big Life employs Maasai rangers who patrol from permanent outposts and mobile field units, supported by vehicles, tracker dogs and aerial surveillance. Beyond stopping poachers, teams remove snares and work to resolve conflicts between people and wildlife, and the organization also employs nurses and educators. In total it lists more than 600 rangers, field staff and local experts, and it says it has not lost a single elephant in its area to ivory poachers since 2018.

US donors give through Big Life Foundation USA, a 501(c)(3) rated four stars by Charity Navigator; there are also registered Big Life entities in Canada and the UK. The US arm spent about $10.2 million in its 2025 fiscal year.

Key facts

• Says it has not lost a single elephant in its area of operation to ivory poachers since 2018 (biglife.org)
• More than 600 rangers, field staff, nurses, educators and local experts (biglife.org)
• Works across nearly two million acres of the Greater Amboseli ecosystem below Mount Kilimanjaro (biglife.org)
• US entity FY2025: $7,890,389 revenue and $10,190,336 expenses (ProPublica)

Before you give

• Accepts monthly giving (Ranger Club), checks, stock gifts, IRA charitable rollovers and planned gifts (donate page).
• Separate Big Life entities exist for Canadian and UK donors (donate page).