Situated in Malawi, the ‘warm heart of Africa,’ Liwonde National Park has been the host of incredible wildlife translocations and reintroductions, and transformations. When African Parks assumed management of Liwonde, in partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW) in 2015, the park was riddled with tens of thousands of wire snares – more snares existed than large animals – and it had some of the highest human-wildlife conflict levels in the region. Liwonde was a park in terminal decline, and was teetering on the edge of total collapse, almost to the extent of not being able to be revived at all.

In 2017, we began to re-establish Liwonde’s predator population and reintroduced cheetahs, bringing the species back to the park after 100 years. In 2018, a founder population of 10 lions was also reintroduced from South Africa and Majete Wildlife Reserve. And more recently, the park hosted one of the largest international black rhino translocations in history, where 17 black rhino were relocated from South Africa to the park to boost population numbers and genetics. Liwonde’s wildlife populations are on the rise, and so are the number of people who are coming to the park to witness its revival, with over 23,000 tourists visiting the park in 2019 alone. In just a few short years, Liwonde has been given a second chance and it is being restored and transformed for the benefit of the wildlife, and for the people who live here.

Liwonde Highlights

• Liwonde’s predators are on the rise, seven cheetahs were reintroduced to the park in 2017 after a 100 year absence and the population has already more than doubled. And ten 10 lions were reintroduced in 2018 after they were last seen in the park 10 years ago.

• In 2019, Liwonde hosted yet another historical translocation as 17 black rhinos were relocated from South Africa to the park to boost the population numbers and genetics.