More than 250 elephants in Malawi, with the giant animals ᴀɪʀʟɪꜰtᴇᴅ ᴜᴘsɪᴅᴇ down as they were moved to their new national park, they transported from the Liwonde National Park in Malawi to the Kasungu National Park, 250 miles away.
The elephants were seen hanging upside down as they were gently lowered into their new home as part of the environmental project. The ᴍᴀᴍᴍᴏtʜ effort saw 263 of the animals and 431 other wildlife including impala, buffalo, warthog, sable, and waterbuck transported.
The addition of elephants and other wildlife species to Kasungu National Park will benefit Malawi tourism as well as communities through job creation, thereby fuelling a conservation-driven economy. The elephant population diminished with poaching activity so this exercise hopes to see an increase in the population. After the move was completed, the herd of elephants was seen enjoying its new surroundings in the Malawi national park. Kasungu is the second largest national park in Malawi, covering 2,100 square kilometers, which is four times the size of the creature’s previous habitat at Liwonde National Park.
‘We have been working in close partnership with the DNPW in Liwonde to generate benefits for people and wildlife since 2015. Thanks to the Malawian Government’s commitment to this landscape, Liwonde has re-emerged as a park not only hailed for the recovery of its wildlife numbers, but for its international tourism appeal. The addition of elephants to Kasungu will help with the overall tourism in the country, contribute to local employment, and fuel a conservation-led economy.’ said Sam Kamoto, African Parks’ Country Manager.
Kasungu is the second largest national park in Malawi, covering 2,100 square kilometers, which is four times the size of the creature’s previous habitat at Liwonde National Park. The new surroundings should help boost elephant numbers and the animals will be monitored by authorities.
‘The translocation of the elephants and other wildlife is a significant achievement and proves the DNPW’s approach to working with partners to secure its natural resources is a sound one,’ said Patricio Ndadzela, IFAW’s Country Director for Malawi and Zambia