Majete Wildlife Reserve
Majete Wildlife Reserve is a wildlife sanctuary in the lower Shire Valley in Malawi , about 80 km west of Blantyre , just north of Lengwe National Park , from which it is only separated by a valley. The Majete Reserve covers 700 km² and was established in 1955, but due to a lack of resources it is not guarded and effectively protected, so that poaching led to the extinction of most of the large animal species in the area. In the 1980s, around 200 elephants were still counted in the area, by 1995 the population had completely disappeared; the park was eventually abandoned.
In 2003 the African Parks Foundation, in partnership with various donors and the Malawian government, took over the management of the area and carried out extensive resettlement of animals, in particular elephants. In 2006, 70 elephants were transferred from Liwonde National Park, and in 2008 another 62 animals. Due to the births in the park, the elephant population is currently 144 animals. In addition, antelopes ( impala , kudu , waterbuck and others), warthogs and bush pigs , hippos on the Shire and numerous species of birds can be observed. The reintroduction of chimpanzees and lions is planned by 2012, and a small number of leopards are already native to the area.
In recent years, the park's infrastructure has been significantly improved under the new management. However, only a relatively small area in the north-east of the park is accessible for tourists, the rest of the area is mountainous and difficult to reach. There are possibilities for camping, hut tents with power supply and showers for overnight stays, as well as a small restaurant.
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Coordinates: 15 ° 58 ′ S , 34 ° 34 ′ E