MALAWI: African Parks Reintroduces Lions In Liwonde National Park

Four years after the last lion was seen in Liwonde, African Parks have reintroduced the first of several wild lions back into the National Park.

In partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), and with support from the Dutch Government and the Lion Recovery Fund, two mature males were released into enclosed bomas in the park after being safely translocated from Majete Wildlife Reserve, where lions were reintroduced in 2012.

They will remain in bomas for several weeks to allow close monitoring of their wellbeing, adjustment, and bonding with two lionesses which will be translocated from South Africa in March, before they are all released in to the wider park.

While the translocation hails the return of this iconic predator to Liwonde, it is also symbolic of Majete’s extraordinary restoration.

Majete’s pride was entirely poached out decades ago, but since their reintroduction, the population has grown to the extent that it can assist in repopulating Liwonde, 200 km north-east of Majete.

African Parks will further supplement the populations in both parks over the coming months, with the translocation of up to 12 additional lions from South Africa.

This is an important milestone for lion conservation in Malawi, where populations of the vulnerable species are being revitalised as part of an effort to restore the country’s parks, rehabilitate wildlife populations and encourage tourism for the benefit of local communities.

The reintroduction of lions is fundamentally enriching for Liwonde said African Parks’ Liwonde Park Manager, Craig Reid.

It restores a key species that is critical to the healthy functioning of the natural system, contributes to the establishment of an important local predator population, and will significantly benefit tourism as a mechanism for socio-economic growth.

The arrival of these big cats lays the foundation for a secure national population of lions, helping to further distinguish Malawi as an emerging premier wildlife destination.

With the UN World Wildlife Day on Saturday 3rd March highlighting the plight of big cats across the world, Malawi’s lion translocation is an extraordinary example of the conservation measures being taken to secure a future for Africa's most iconic cat.

Just over a century ago, more than 200,000 wild lions were living throughout Africa, but in just two decades, Africa’s lion population has decreased by 42%.

Today, wild lions are extinct in 26 African countries, and there are only about 20,000 lions left in wilderness areas, prompting the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to classify lions as Vulnerable on the Red List of Threatened Species.

Threatened by habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict and loss of prey, their numbers are steadily decreasing, and unless urgent actions are taken to ensure their survival, it is likely that lions will become an endangered species.

African Parks assumed management of Liwonde in partnership with the DNPW in 2015, and since then has completely overhauled law enforcement to secure the park.

They have constructed a robust perimeter fence enclosing the entire park, established rigorous ranger patrols, and worked extensively with local communities, making significant progress in revitalising habitat and wildlife populations through the reduction of poaching and mitigation of human-wildlife conflict.

The lions have each been fitted with tracking collars to facilitate intensive daily monitoring.

For a long time Malawi’s stunning beaches, beautiful and varied landscapes and fascinating and friendly cultural experiences have been some of the best that Africa has to offer.

With the wildlife transformations currently underway courtesy of African Parks, Malawi’s safari experiences are now starting to match its other attractions as it emerges as one of the most complete destinations in Africa.



Tourism Observer

MALAWI: Cheetahs Translocated From South Africa To Liwonde National Park In Malawi

Cheetahs translocated from South Africa to Liwonde National Park in Malawi, returning the threatened species to the country.

A small founder population of cheetahs has been successfully relocated to Liwonde National Park in Malawi, restoring the severely threatened species at least twenty years after its extinction in the country.

Led by African Parks, a conservation non-profit that manages national parks and protected areas on behalf of governments across the continent, in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) and Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), the translocation of four cheetahs to Liwonde on May 17th formed a national milestone as the first big cats made their return to the flourishing park.

Although 20 years since occurring in Malawi, it has been close to a century since cheetahs were documented in Liwonde National Park. Lions and leopards were also historically common, but disappeared in recent years due to poaching.

Decades of habitat loss, human-wildlife conflict and poaching severely reduced the nation’s predator populations, entirely eradicating cheetahs, a species threatened with extinction in Africa.

Large predators like cheetahs play pivotal roles in African ecosystems, but they are in troubling decline across the continent said Liwonde National Park Manager Craig Reid.

Malawi has made progressive commitments to conserve wildlife. The reintroduction of the cheetah is historic for the country and a new era for the park, where the return of large predators holds great optimism for the restoration of the natural system and the conservation of this highly vulnerable species.

On May 17th, African Parks and the Endangered Wildlife Trust oversaw the successful translocation of four cheetahs, which made the journey by plane from South Africa and arrived safely in Liwonde National Park, thanks to the support provided by Ulendo Airlink and Robin Pope Safaris for the transportation.

They were released into specially-built bomas to allow for close supervision during a period of adjustment, until being released into the wider park.

The animals are all in good health and are expected to do well in Liwonde, where habitat and prey conditions are optimal and measures are in place to ensure their ongoing conservation and protection.

African Parks assumed management of Liwonde National Park in partnership with the DNPW in 2015, and since then has completely overhauled law enforcement to secure the park, making significant progress in revitalising habitat and wildlife populations through the reduction of poaching and mitigating human-wildlife conflict.

The reintroduction of the cheetah forms part of the collective vision of African Parks and the Malawian government to restore the country’s parks, rehabilitate wildlife populations, and increase tourism, creating highly-valued assets for the country and its people.

Managing and restoring key species also positions Liwonde as a globally significant wildlife tourism destination, with benefits flowing to local communities.

The reintroduction of cheetahs to Liwonde National Park is another extraordinary story of progressive and optimistic wildlife conservation in Malawi. On the heels of the historic “500 Elephants” initiative which will see 500 elephants being moved from Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve (all three parks are managed by African Parks with DNPW), the cheetah’s homecoming marks the historic return of the threatened species to the nation at least 20 years after its local extinction.

This opens a hopeful new chapter for large predator conservation in the park. Liwonde has welcomed back its first big cat, a profound milestone for the ongoing restoration of this valuable protected area.

Cheetahs & EWT

The cheetahs were carefully sourced through EWT’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project, which was established in 2011 with the aim of creating safe spaces for cheetahs in South Africa and managing the existing population in a number of reserves to ensure genetic diversity.

The project now operates in 54 reserves, and in 2016, began investigating opportunities for reintroduction outside of South Africa.

This partnership was deemed ideal, as African Parks has secured safe spaces for a myriad of species in the reserves it manages. Phinda and Welgevonden Private Game Reserves made a male cheetah available, while Mountain Zebra National Park and Amakhala Private Game Reserve made a female cheetah available for this reintroduction into Malawi.

These are considered to be some of the top cheetah reserves in South Africa, all having contributed substantially to cheetah conservation efforts in the country.

Eradicated from 90 percent of their historical range in Africa, cheetahs are listed as Vulnerable with as few as 6,700 estimated to remain in the wild. Reintroduction to safe and fenced protected areas is one way to protect the future of the species on the continent” said EWT Cheetah Metapopulation Coordinator Vincent van der Merwe.

This collaborative undertaking represents a highly valuable opportunity for both the park and cheetah conservation in light of the need for urgent action to address their decline.

Since assuming management of Liwonde, African Parks has constructed a reliable perimeter fence, removed thousands of snare traps, significantly reduced poaching, and is working with local communities to ensure the long-term success of conservation in the area.

African Parks Completes Malawi

African Parks is a non-profit organisation that takes on total responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks and protected areas in partnership with governments and local communities.

Since 2003 African Parks has, in partnership with the Malawi government, managed Majete Wildlife Reserve, a partnership that has seen the reserve restored and restocked with an initial 2,500 animals including the Big Five.

Majete has been a great success and is now one of Malawi’s premier wildlife sanctuaries, conserving and protecting more than 7,500 animals.

With the addition of Liwonde National Park and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve in 2015, African Parks now manages 3 of Malawi’s 9 protected areas and with goals to match all that has been achieved in Majete, African Parks are transforming the wildlife of the country.

If Malawi had a perceived weakness in tourism terms, it was that some of its neighbours offered a ‘better’ safari experience. But these developments are resulting in a total transformation of Malawi’s wildlife and safaris.

Malawi is fast becoming one of the most complete destinations in Africa - Lake, Landscape, Culture and now Wildlife experiences of the very highest quality. Warm, welcoming and unspoilt, Malawi really is just waiting to be discovered.

MALAWI: Translocating 250 Elephants To New Home In Malawi

Prince Harry assists conservationists in translocating 250 elephants to their new home in Malawi.

The first round of the translocation process of a total of 500 elephants was completed last month, seeing just over 250 elephants rehomed into a sanctuary at Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve in central Malawi.

The world’s media have been closely following Malawi’s elephants since the first elephant family was translocated from Liwonde National Park on 5th July 2016.

Prince Harry joined the operation in its final stages, which saw him supporting the African Parks team with the delicate process of darting and capturing the elephants to load them onto trucks for their 350km journey north.

Not just elephants were involved in this, one of Africa’s biggest ever animal translocations. Other games species totalling 1117 individuals were also moved including 404 waterbuck, 200 sable, 199 warthog, 122 impala, 100 kudu and 92 buffalo.

The operation ensured the safeguarding of not only the elephants, but also the livelihood of local agricultural communities. Surplus populations of elephant were resulting in habitat degradation and human wildlife conflict. Their new home is a vast wildlife sanctuary that was once home to over 1500 elephants, but due to poaching only 100 remained.

Peter Fearnhead, CEO for African Parks said, “The reason we are moving these elephants is to prevent further habitat degradation and mitigate conflict in Liwonde and Majete, as well as to restock Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve. To do this, we have to be sure of their long-term security, which is why we have already overhauled law enforcement and anti-poaching measures in the elephants new home.”

Kelly White from Malawi Tourism said “The future for Nkhotakota looks bright, the next 12 months will see a repopulated park both with elephants and over a thousand individuals of other game species providing a premier elephant sanctuary for Malawi and a tourism hotspot for the country in the coming years. With Malawi’s three premier parks now benefitting from the proactive management of African Parks Malawi will soon have a high quality safari experience on offer to match its existing lake, landscape and cultural highlights making it perhaps one of the most complete destinations in Africa”.

Phase two of the process to move an additional 250 elephants from Malawi’s Majete Wildlife Reserve will commence in July 2017, along with plans to secure populations of lions and cheetah to reintroduce into Liwonde National Park in early 2017.

African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in apartment with government and local communities. African Parks manages 10 national parks and protected areas in seven countries covering six million hectares: Malawi, Zambia, CAR, The Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Chad.

To learn more, please visit www.african-parks.org

MALAWI: World’s Largest Elephant Translocations

Malawi hosts one of the world’s largest elephant translocations


African Parks, in collaboration with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife, are helping to preserve this threatened species by moving 500 elephants in one of the biggest events ever to happen to Malawi’s wildlife Tourism.

Populations of African elephants are being depleted at concerning rates, with fewer than 450,000 remaining. Poaching and habitat loss have sent numbers into serious decline. Malawi’s recent successes in anti-poaching and management of human-wildlife conflict have led to a population surplus in two of the country’s 9 protected areas, Liwonde National Park and Majete Wildlife Reserve.

This huge relocation starts this week in Liwonde National Park, home to Malawi’s largest population of 800 elephants. This delicate process involves the use of helicopters to dart the elephants, which are then lifted by crane onto trucks to start their 300 km road journey to a newly created sanctuary.

The elephants are being moved to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve, close to Lake Malawi, which for years had been depleted of wildlife. Once home to over 1500, now as little as 100 remain. A 16,000-hectare sanctuary has been built, creating a safe and secure habitat for these animals to thrive before being released, in time, into the wider Reserve. As well as the elephant, there are plans to relocate a further 1500 animals from a variety of species to the Reserve.

This is an extremely hopeful story for conservation, elephants and particularly for Malawi. Kelly While from Malawi Tourism says “We are delighted with African Parks’ plans to relocate and reintroduce species into Malawi’s Parks. If Malawi had a perceived weakness in tourism terms, it was that some of its neighbours offered a ‘better’ safari experience. But, as well as helping to safeguard the future for these magnificent animals, these developments will result in a total transformation of Malawi’s wildlife and safaris. Malawi will become one of the most complete destinations in Africa - Lake, Landscape, Culture and now Wildlife experiences of the very highest quality. Warm, welcoming and unspoilt, Malawi really is just waiting to be discovered.”

ABOUT AFRICAN PARKS:
African Parks is a non-profit conservation organisation that takes on the complete responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks in apartment with government and local communities. African Parks manages 10 national parks and protected areas in seven countries covering six million hectares: Malawi, Zambia, CAR, The Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Rwanda and Chad. To learn more, please visit www.african-parks.org

MALAWI: National Geographic Goes Mad For Malawi

One of the top magazine brands in the world, National Geographic, has been recently going wild for all things Malawi. This includes featuring Malawi in a full length article and holiday prize competition in National Geographic Traveller magazine and having a 6 page spread in the current issue of National Geographic Kids magazine.

Reading the National Geographic traveller Magazine is a great way to help you plan the best time to go on your next jet-setting adventure and will inspire your choice of destination with amazing photography and passionate articles. With Malawi having much to offer i.e. Wildlife, Culture, Adventure and the third largest lake in Africa it’s no wonder that the magazine is now focussed on the country. The December issue contains an 8 page feature and a competition to win a holiday in Malawi. The compettion can be entered online: click here. The feature covers Malawi’s cities: Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba; two of Malawi’s most popular parks Liwonde National Park, Majete Wildlife Reserve; and of course the scenic wonderland that is Lake Malawi.

Chris Leadbeater, who wrote the Malawi feature, was clearly very taken with the country:
"A tiny pocket of Southern Africa, with its very own Lake of Stars, Malawi is warm, welcoming, yet hard to pin down. With a ragged beauty, lantern-lit boats trawling its waters and wildlife-packed parks, this is Africa at its most endearing."

The article features some of Malawi’s top lodges in Mvuu Lodge, Pumulani and Mkulumadzi and the trip was put together by the high-quality UK tour operator, Expert Africa, with Chris’s flight provided by the ever reliable South African Airways.

The National Geographic Kids magazine has always been a great way to help children learn about different cultures and traditions. Plus they can also read about all the different animals from all over the world – and now Malawi’s animals are in the limelight. The October edition featured an interview with bat expert, Dr Emma Stone, who runs a bat conservation project in Malawi, African Bat Conservation. And the November edition covered the wonderful Satemwa Tea Plantations in the Thyolo area, and Malawi’s importance to the UK tea trade.

At a time when Malawi’s wildlife is hot news, the current December edition of the magazine contains a massive 6 page spread of Safari experiences in Liwonde National Park. It’s a brilliant showcase of Malawi’s biggest animals. Hippos, Elephants and Rhinos get the most attention in a feature that is a great read for kids and adults. It ends with an exciting rhino-tracking adventure lead by Hungarian rhino specialist Krisztián Gyöngyi and expert rhino tracker Christopher Kanyange at Liwonde National Park! You can read that article online here.

Organised by passionate travel experts, Mahlatini, and flying in with one of the leading africa airlines, Kenya Airways, it’s clear to see why the trip was such a success. Georgia Harrison, writer of the Nat Geo Kids articles, was full of gushing praise on her return from her 'incredible' trip to Malawi: “Wow – what an experience!… I had a blast … such an action-packed itinerary. So much to write about! Please accept my overflowing gratitude.”

And the magazine hasn’t had enough of Malawi yet – keep your eyes peeled in 2016 for a Lake Malawi feature!

Don't forget to enter the Malawi Holiday Competition (click here) and to pick up copies of the current editions of National Geographic Traveller and National Geographic Kids to read all about Malawi!