As the peak of the dry season grips the Greater Amboseli ecosystem, it’s not just the heat that’s intensifying—so too are the threats to wildlife.

As often happens at this time of year, we’ve seen a surge in bushmeat poaching, putting our rangers on heightened alert. In the first six months of the year, Big Life’s teams arrested 8 suspects in 5 incidents, for killing 13 large mammals for bushmeat. But in just the last 2 months the rates have increased significantly: 12 arrests in 6 cases, and 14 animals poached.

Giraffes, with their immense size, are a favored target. Poachers set snares, or use powerful torches to stun them at night, while a second individual slashes the tendons in their legs with a machete—a brutally painful way for any animal to die.

Rangers are doing everything they can to control the situation, leveraging their community informer networks, and setting night-time ambushes in poaching hotspot areas. Every arrest sends a clear message: poaching in Amboseli is a risky business.

Despite this seasonal increase, bushmeat poaching in Amboseli is still relatively low, thanks in large part to the vigilance and hard work of Big Life’s rangers. We hate to think how many animals would be dying without them.

📸: Joshua Clay