Ambassador Report, March 2023 [Wildlife Preservation in Malawi]by Prince Foley | 15-03-2023 17:42 |
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 Malawi is blessed with a rich diversity of flora and fauna and has no less than nine National Parks and Wildlife Reserves which cover over 10% of the country's land area (Malawi Tourism, n.d.). Although it may not have quite the sheer numbers of large mammals as some of its better known neighbours, it makes up for this in other ways by providing intensive and exclusive wildlife viewing in unspoilt areas of genuine wilderness with very few other visitors looking on. Malawi is also in the middle of a wildlife revolution with massive investment in a number of of its protected areas resulting in a boom in wildlife numbers and, so far, two of its parks & reserves becoming home to the ¡®Big 5¡¯ National Parks & Wildlife Reserves In recent years the Parks and Reserves have undergone something of a transformation, with private concessionaires helping to improve conservation and the quality of viewing. One of the main conservation efforts in Malawi is the establishment of protected areas. These protected areas are home to a variety of wildlife species, including elephants, lions, leopards, hippos, and more. Additionally, the Malawi government has implemented various laws and regulations to protect wildlife. For instance, the Wildlife Act of 2015 provides for the protection, conservation, and management of wildlife in Malawi. The act prohibits activities such as hunting, trapping, and trading of wildlife without a permit (Government of Malawi, 2015). There are also various non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working towards wildlife preservation in Malawi. The Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, for example, is an NGO that focuses on wildlife rescue, rehabilitation, and release. The trust also works to combat illegal wildlife trade and supports community-based conservation efforts (Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, n.d.). Despite these efforts, Malawi still faces significant challenges in wildlife preservation. These include habitat loss due to deforestation and human activities, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict (The Guardian, 2017). However, the Malawi government and various NGOs are working to address these challenges and protect the country's unique wildlife. For those visitors keen to make an even more positive difference to Malawi¡¯s conservation efforts, there are also opportunities to get involved in Conservation Volunteer Projects. References: Government of Malawi. (2015). Wildlife Act. Retrieved from https://www.wildlifemalawi.org/wildlife-act Lilongwe Wildlife Trust. (n.d.). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.lilongwewildlife.org/about-us/ Malawi Tourism. (n.d.). National Parks and Wildlife Reserves. Retrieved from https://www.malawitourism.com/pages/national-parks-wildlife-reserves The Guardian. (2017, March 30). Malawi's wildlife threatened by habitat loss, poaching and conflict. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2017/mar/30/malawi-wildlife-threatened-by-habitat-loss-poaching-and-conflict https://www.malawitourism.com/experiences/wildlife/ |
