Biodiversity Conservation

Liwonde comprises a small yet vibrant landscape that, despite having suffered high levels of unsustainable resource harvesting in the past, has become highly productive, sustaining a large elephant population, along with antelope, predators and birds. The restoration of key species has re-established Liwonde as one of the country’s iconic wilderness areas, today boasting healthy populations of numerous species including buffalo and hippo, with the latest census recording over 12,000 animals. 

• In 2016, the park was at the epicentre of one of the largest elephant translocations in history, when 261 elephant were relocated from Liwonde to Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve to reduce pressure on Liwonde’s habitats and mitigate human-wildlife conflict around the park.
• In 2017, cheetah were reintroduced to Liwonde after a 20-year absence. In 2023, an additional two female cheetah from different reserves in South Africa were moved to Liwonde, while a coalition of three males was translocated to South Africa to help maintain genetic diversity.
• In 2018, a founder population of 10 lion from South Africa and Majete Wildlife Reserve was introduced, decades after a breeding population was last present.
• In 2019, 17 black rhino were translocated from South Africa to Liwonde in one of the largest international black rhino translocations to date, boosting Malawi’s black rhino population and contributing to regional conservation efforts for this critically endangered species.
• While eight African wild dog were introduced from South Africa to Liwonde in 2021, tragedy struck the following year when the entire pack was lost to poisoning. In 2024, a second wild dog pack was reintroduced into Liwonde following the learnings of previous years. Nine wild dogs were translocated from Welgevonden, South Africa, and while two females were lost, the remaining seven were successfully released into the park.
• In 2022, 263 elephant and 431 additional wildlife – including impala, buffalo, warthog, sable and waterbuck – were moved from Liwonde to Kasungu National Park.

In 2015, vultures were entirely absent from the park. After the carnivore reintroductions, and the return of carcasses to the system, seven different species – four of which are critically endangered – began to be seen. In 2018, the first Rüppell’s vulture was sighted in the park, an endangered species with few strongholds in southern Africa.

Populations of reintroduced species are intensively monitored, from elephant to cheetah and lion. The data received aids key species population management.

As an important addition to monitoring efforts, a rhino tagging exercise fitted eight rhino with Africa Wildlife Tracking VHF transmitters in 2024. The rhino were chosen to ensure even distribution across the park.

The wild dog pack introduced in 2024 produced a litter but also suffered some setbacks, losing males to a snare and poachers respectively, and a female and pup to unknown causes. The five remaining wild dogs (two males and three pups) are being closely monitored by the park and the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust.

The Liwonde Training Centre is a critical hub for the region where rangers for all four Malawi parks managed by African Parks are trained. Comprehensive poisoning awareness training is provided for rangers, along with anti-poison awareness workshops in the communities surrounding the park, to help prevent losses such as that of the previous wild dog pack. Ongoing community engagement and environmental awareness meetings on sustainable natural resource harvesting and the value of conservation is improving community understanding of Liwonde’s conservation efforts. 

Constructing and maintaining the park’s electric perimeter fence, together with community members who work as fence monitors, to reduce conflict and ensure the safety of both people and wildlife is a priority. The fence has drastically reduced human-wildlife conflict and has helped save lives as a result. Read more about elephant conservation in the context of high human-wildlife conflict here.