Malawi elephants population dwindles due to illegal trade
Population of elephants in Malawi has drastically decreased from around 4.000 to less than 2,000 in recent years, Assistant Director of National Parks and Wildlife, William Mgoora revealed in Blantyre on Friday.
He attributed the decrease to poaching and illegal wildlife trade where protected animals are depleted from the country’s national parks and Game reserves.
“Illegal wildlife trade has been escalating with recent evidence that organised International crime syndicate are targeting and exploiting Malawi as a source and transit route for their illegal wildlife trade,” he said.
He cited Kasungu National Park which used to be the home of over 2,000 elephants but the number have dwindled to just 150 due to poaching and illegal wildlife trade.
Mgoora said that Majete Wildlife Reserve had also its elephants completely wiped out until the reintroduction in 2003.
Apart from elephants, he added, rhinos and Lake Malawi turtles are also targeted for the illegal wild life trade.
However, he explained, government has put in place mechanisms such as reintroducing the animals in the wildlife reserves, fencing and equipment for law enforcement and infrastructure development among others.
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Chinese,is fast b coming the richest in the world bcoz of that,is better 4,government to cut off all ivories,and sell it and use the money for zero deficit budget,rather than being stolen by Chinese to enrich their own country.while we lack medicine here@home
What do u think will happen if we fail to pay back the loans to the Chinese-they Will certainly take Malawi. they are coming into the country in large numbers. they have shops even in rural areas.
GOVERNMENT NEED TO SET UP INSERTIVES, YOU SEE ANY ONE KILLING THE ANIMALS GET THEM AND GET CASH FROM GERNMENT. YOU WILL SEE ALL THIS WILL BE GONE.
Public Private Partnership may help to some extent!
Send all chinese back to their country.
As one of Game Rangers,this is sad news not only to the Department of National Parks but to Malawi as a whole,wake up Malawi wild animals are not meat we have to change our perception
People why elephants??? Osapha Ng’ona ziiiii bwanji???????
This is the work of the chinese. You thought the chinese are investors, my foot, they are here to take what the british forgot. Show me any meaningful chinese investiment. The parliament and bicc are loans and not grants, we are our great grand children will pay heavily. The chinese wanted to come and exploit africa and used infrustrure development as an easy entry to attract african leaders who steal their government’s money and shamelessly brag by putting their citizens in eternal loans with the chinese. Our leaders have sold our countries to the chinese.
I was at Nyala Lodge a few weeks ago. I was dismayed to hear That every night poachers go into the 87 square kilometres Lengwe Park and kill animals. Some set traps. What was very depressing about it is that the park rangers do not work at night hence the poachers freely do the wicked things. Government please wake up.