A partner of ol Donyo Lodge, the NGO Big Life Foundation, protects over 2 million hectares of wildlife.
The property is one of the major donors of the Big Life Foundation, annually donating several hundred thousand dollars. Cattle rearing is an essential part of the Maasai way of life, who are shareholders of the land which is under conservation around ol Donyo Lodge. When predators and cattle mix, it is usually predators like lions that are killed by the Maasai protecting their cattle. This ultimately places the lions on a path to extinction. Richard Bonham, the creator of the Big Life Foundation, realized many years ago that in order to save the wild animals he had to tell the locals how valuable wildlife is for conservation tourism. He also initiated anti-poaching operations. Since then biodiversity breathes easier.