Majete Wildlife Reserve, Malawi

About the Park

Since its proclamation as a protected area in 1955, Majete had been managed by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW). However, due to a lack of resources, scouts were poorly equipped to deal with heavily armed poachers. In 1988 there were estimated to be over 200 elephants in Majete but by 1992 all had been exterminated. together with buffalo, sable antelope, eland, zebra and hartebeest. Other species that inhabited Majete included hippo, warthog, bush pig, zebra, kudu, bushbuck, waterbuck, grey duiker, klipspringer and spotted hyena. By the early 1990s their numbers too had been greatly reduced through poaching. Small numbers of crocodiles still survived in the Shire River.

The reserve had no positive economic impact on the livelihoods of its peripheral communities – the only benefit being the unsustainable illegal use of wildlife as a food supply and the harvesting of renewable resources such as thatching grass and bamboo. Together with a lack of tourism development which could have created opportunities for small businesses, Majete was becoming less and less of an asset to the country.

On 28 March 2003, the Government of Malawi entered into a 25-year public private partnership with African Parks for the rehabilitation, development and management of Majete. Through this partnership, African Parks (Majete) was born. This was the first project taken on by African Parks. Since then African Parks, with the help of many generous donors and the support of the Malawian Government and the Malawian people, has managed to restock the reserve with wildlife, erect a perimeter fence for the protection of the local communities and kick-start a successful tourism product.

The Majete project has proven to be an immense success and its impact is a regular feature in the Malawian media. Even President Bingu wa Mutharika has commented in parliament on the success of the Majete Private Public Partnership and expressed the desire for more such ventures.

Flora & Fauna

Community Involvement

Achievements