Protecting Elephants and Rhinos in Malawi

Greetings! Earthwatch's Animals of Malawi in the Majete Wildlife Reserve's fourth year of field research got underway last month with two full research teams of six volunteers each joining Dr. Alison Leslie to collect data on the ongoing restoration and recovery of the reserve which features elephants, rhinos, impala and other herbivores; carnivores such as leopards, lions, and hyenas; and many other iconic African species.

Also underway is a massive translocation effort – a human-assisted wildlife migration from Majete to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve in the northern part of the country (a journey of approximately 500 kilometers). Helicopters are used to guide selected animals into holding pens, where they will be guided into large transport containers hitched to trucks that will drive them to their new homes. This enormous undertaking began this month and will continue into 2017.

This remarkable achievement provides a wonderful ending to what started out as a conservation horror story. Not long ago, the Majete Wildlife Reserve was devoid of wildlife. Rampant poaching, logging, and charcoal burning destroyed the region’s habitat. By the mid-1980s, only a few hippos and crocodiles remained. But in 2003, everything changed. African Parks, a non-profit organization, launched a partnership with the Malawian government and local communities to return Majete to the wildlife haven it once was by “re-stocking” the park with 14 native species.

Today, 13 years after the initial conservation efforts, 2,500 elephants, buffalos, waterbuck, nyala, hartebeest, zebras – even critically endangered black rhinos – have been reintroduced in the reserve. And many species are doing so well that, to prevent destruction of vegetation in the park, some of the animals are being re-located to other protected reserves where populations are struggling. As the Majete Reserve continues to thrive through excellent management policies, other parks in the region will be given a chance to rewrite their conservation stories as well.

Thank you again for your ongoing support that makes long-term research and conservation victories like this possible. We couldn't do it without you!

With gratitude,

Heather Wilcox
Director of Annual Giving & Advancement Services
hwilcox@earthwatch.org
978-450-1208

P.S. Remember, you don't just have to read about this research from afar... you can be at the center of the action as an Earthwatch research volunteer! Please follow the link below to see which teams are still accepting volunteers for 2016.

Links:

• Animals of Malawi in the Majete Wildlife Reserve Expedition Page