African Parks has announced the completion of a series of lion translocations from South Africa and Majete National Park in Malawi, to Malawi’s Liwonde National Park.

A total of nine new lions are now homed in Liwonde as part of a wider effort to restore Malawi’s parks, and to increase the genetic diversity of the reserve’s existing pride. The translocation was a combined effort of African Parks along with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), the Lion Recovery Fund, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, and support from the Dutch Government.

Years of poaching, and conflict between the resident wildlife and surrounding human communities eradicated the predator population three years ago, but since 2015 the efforts of African Parks have changed the trajectory of the park. Measures included additional ranger units being trained and outfitted to tackle poaching – which resulted in 30 000 snares being removed from the park; a stronger perimeter fence being constructed; and working with local communities to protect and conserve wildlife.

“We believe this will enrich wildlife tourism at Liwonde National Park,” Sarah Njanji, Chief Tourism Officer (Marketing) of the Malawi Department of Tourism, told Tourism Update. “Cheetahs were also re-introduced to the park last year, so we envisage increased visitor numbers to the park.” Cheetahs have been absent from the park for the past 100 years.