Lilongwe Wildlife Trust
Founded2007
TypeCharitable Trust
Registration no.No.TR/INC4209
FocusEnvironmentalism, Conservation, Ecology
Location
  • Lilongwe, Malawi
Websitewww.lilongwewildlife.org

The Lilongwe Wildlife Centre (Tumbuka: Malo ghakusungilako vinyama ku Lilongwe) is a wildlife sanctuary in Lilongwe, Malawi. It was founded in 2007 by the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT) and the Born Free Foundation. The Centre is a member of the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance and the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries.

Aims

Lilongwe Wildlife Trust focuses on four areas of work: wildlife rescue and welfare, education and advocacy, conservation justice, and wildlife research.[1]

Lilongwe Wildlife Centre falls under the wildlife rescue and welfare branch of the organization's work. It aims to participate in conservation work in Malawi. The Wildlife Centre provides space for rescued, confiscated, orphaned, and injured wild animals, meeting international animal welfare standards (e.g. PASA[2] & GFAS). Wild animals that undergo rehabilitation at the Wildlife Centre are released back into protected areas under controlled and monitored conditions. Additionally, the Wildlife Centre carries out work to promote wildlife conservation and welfare and to support statutory authorities.

Inside the park

Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation

Lilongwe Wildlife Centre was set up by LWT, with support from the Born Free Foundation, in 2007 as a sanctuary for rehabilitating Malawi's injured, orphaned, and confiscated wildlife.[3] The majority of intakes processed are handled on-site. The Wildlife Centre is currently Malawi's only PASA-accredited wildlife sanctuary.[4] The majority of the Wildlife Centre's intake are rescued as orphans and victims of the illegal pet and bushmeat trade, which is still prevalent in Malawi, or wildlife which has sustained injuries from poaching attempts and human-wildlife conflicts. Many of the rehabilitated animals are released back into the wild or, if not, remain at the Wildlife Centre in large natural enclosures. Lilongwe Wildlife Centre is supported by leading animal welfare organizations such as Born Free Foundation,[5] Stitching AAP,[6] Tusk Trust,[7] International Primate Society and International Primate Protection League.[8] In 2011, Lilongwe Wildlife Centre received a Responsible Tourism award[9] for Best organization for Wildlife Conservation.

Additionally, LWT run a veterinary Wildlife Emergency Response Unit (WERU)[10] which is available for cases around the country that require on-site attention. WERU is a joint initiative between the Malawi Government and LWT.

Wildlife advocacy and enforcement

LWT launched a campaign called 'Stop Wildlife Crime - Protect Malawi's Wildlife’[11] in 2014 in conjunction with the Malawi Government. It calls for attitudinal and behavioral change, sensitizing the general public, decision makers and law enforcement agencies. Their other advocacy and enforcement work includes: lead partner in a toolkit assessment[12] on the nature and status of illegal wildlife trade in Malawi completed on behalf of Government; partnering with the Government to review and strengthen the National Parks and Wildlife Act of Malawi (NPWA); local NGO representative on the steering committee of the Malawi National Elephant Action Plan;[13] provision of civil society representation to the Inter-Agency Committee on Combating Wildlife Crime (IACCWC) in Malawi; and the principal supporter of proactive wildlife investigations in Malawi.

In 2018, LWT supported the Malawi Government in introducing the country's first wildlife detection dogs at Malawian airports.

LWT is Malawi's sole representative on the Species Survival Network[14] and a founding civil society member of ICCF in Malawi.[15]

Education and community outreach

LWT's Lilongwe Environmental Education Program (LEEP) aims to engage local students covering topics including wildlife crime, human-wildlife conflict, wildlife welfare and biodiversity. PEEP, which is a sister program of LEEP, also educates those living near protected areas, in partnership with local NGO's. LWT's community outreach programs include adult literacy, bee keeping, afforestation, permaculture, tree planting and alternative fuels.

Wildlife research

Lilongwe Wildlife Trust's research work includes wildlife welfare, wildlife management and conservation medicine. The key projects include urban hyaena relocation,[16] adaptation of primates released into the wild,[17] and disease screening[18] for captive wild animals.

References

  1. ↑ "About Lilongwe Wildlife Trust". Lilongwe Wildlife Trust. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  2. ↑ "PASA Welcomes Lilongwe Wildlife Centre : PASA Primates". www.pasaprimates.org. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  3. ↑ "A sanctuary for Malawi's broken wildlife - CNN.com". Edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  4. ↑ "Lilongwe Wildlife Centre | Lilongwe, Malawi | Attractions". Lonely Planet. Retrieved 2023-11-01.
  5. ↑ "Lilongwe Wildlife Centre". Bornfree.org.uk. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  6. ↑ "Voluntary work | Stichting AAP". Aap.nl. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  7. ↑ "Lilongwe Wildlife Centre". Tusk.org. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  8. ↑ "Home". IPPL.org. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  9. ↑ "Best contribution to wildlife conservation - World Responsible Tourism Awards organised by Responsible Travel". Responsibletravel.com. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  10. ↑ "Wildlife Emergency Response Unit - Lilongwe Wildlife Trust". Lilongwewildlife.org. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  11. ↑ "Lilongwe Wildlife Trust". Malawiwildlife.org. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  12. ↑ "Illegal Wildlife Trade Review" (PDF). Lilongwewildlife.org. Malawi. May 2015. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  13. ↑ "Lilongwe Wildlife Trust". Malawiwildlife.org. Archived from the original on 2015-12-08. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  14. ↑ "Species Survival Network". Ssn.org. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  15. ↑ "Malawi Passes Wildlife Amendments, Stiffens Penalties for Poachers, Traffickers". internationalconservation.org. Archived from the original on 2017-02-24.
  16. ↑ "Hyaena Translocation - Lilongwe Wildlife Trust". Lilongwewildlife.org. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  17. ↑ "Primate Release - Lilongwe Wildlife Trust". Lilongwewildlife.org. Retrieved 2016-08-08.
  18. ↑ "Disease Screening - Lilongwe Wildlife Trust". Lilongwewildlife.org. Retrieved 2016-08-08.

13°58′20″S 33°47′02″E / 13.97221°S 33.78386°E / -13.97221; 33.78386

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