Zambia: Cheetahs have returned to the Bangweulu Wetlands after almost a century!

African Parks, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that manages 19 protected areas in 11 African countries, has announced that the Bangweulu Wetlands in Zambia has received a small founding group of cheetahs – the first of their species to return to this community-owned protected area in north-eastern Zambia in almost a century. The relocation of an initial three male cheetahs from South Africa took place in December 2020 resulting from a collaboration between Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), African Parks, the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), Ashia Cheetah Conservation and National Geographic.
The cheetahs were safely released into temporary enclosures especially designed to support their acclimation and will be fitted with tracking collars to enable their long-term monitoring. The founder population is genetically unrelated and was sourced from three reserves, namely Mountain Zebra National Park (Eastern Cape), Rogge Cloof (Northern Cape) and Welgevonden (Waterberg, Limpopo). According to African Parks, the Bangweulu Wetlands is of suitable size (6,570 km²) and habitat to support a viable cheetah population. Its connectivity to other protected areas provides the added potential of establishing a healthy metapopulation to promote the long-term persistence of the species in the region.

Bangweulu Landscape - Credit: African Parks/Steve Lorenz Fischer

The Bangweulu Wetlands is designated as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International and as a RAMSAR Wetland of International Importance. Located in north-eastern Zambia, the community-owned protected area is one of Africa’s most important wetland systems containing a unique floral and faunal diversity. The Bangweulu Wetlands supports 50,000 people who rely on the landscape’s rich resources. Zambia's Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), six Community Resource Boards (CRBs) and African Parks partnered in 2008 to manage this vital 6,645 km² aquatic and terrestrial ecosystem.

Malawi: Cheetahs make return to Majete Wildlife Reserve!

African Parks, in partnership with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT), has succesfully translocated a small founder population of four wild cheetahs from South Africa to Majete Wildlife Reserve in the south-western part of Malawi. Cheetahs have not been present in the Wildlife Reserve, which is country's only Big Five reserve, for decades. Donated by Welgevonden Game Reserve, Samara Game Reserve and Dinokeng Game Reserve as well as Rietvlei Nature Reserve in South Africa, the cheetahs were flown to Lilongwe International Airport (LLW) in Lilongwe and transferred by road to Majete Wildlife Reserve where they arrived safely on the evening of 25 July 2019. They were released into enclosures, where they will spend over a month acclimating to their new surroundings before venturing into the wider reserve. The animals are in good health and expected to do well in Majete Wildlife Reserve, where habitat and prey conditions are optimal and measures are in place to ensure their ongoing conservation and protection.

Cheetah Return to Majete from African Parks on Vimeo.

African Parks manages Majete Wildlife Reserve and Liwonde National Park in Malawi in partnership with the country's Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW). Majete Wildlife Reserve is located in the Lower Shire Valley in the South West of Malawi, approximately 70km (approx. 90 minutes drive by car) from Blantyre's Chileka International Airport (BLZ) and three hours from Lake Malawi.