Primate Release Programme - Kasungu National Park

** Latest (May 09) - 15 Vervets Monkeys, lead by 'Jimmy' released at ** Kasungu National Park (details to follow)

Lilongwe Wildlife Centre in Malawi offers a safe haven for primates that have been rescued from the bushmeat and wildlife trade.  Here they are rehabilitated ready for a life back in the wild, where they belong

The primary role of the Centre is to return any animal that is rescued by the Sanctuary back to the wild.   In December 2008, after just 18 months of being open to rescued wild orphans, the Centre has embarked on its first major release of primate orphans back to the wild; a release that marks the creation of a new project for the Centre that will also oversee five additional releases over the next three years and see 60+ primate orphans returned to the wild, where nature intended. 

After visiting several protected areas within Malawi, a decision was made to release ‘Jack’s group’ of baboons into Kasungu National Park, Malawi’s second largest protected area, situated in the heart of the country.  The release site offers Jack’s group access to water and food year round and access to wild baboons, which also indicates a suitable habitat for their presence.   The site also offers year round access for the research team for daily monitoring of the released primates.

On the 6th December, after many years in captivity Jack, side kick Chris and alpha and beta females Nanjinga and Mandy, along with the others, were crated up and transported four hours north to their new home.(what about the others)  Apart from being delayed by one day with Jack seemingly not wanting to leave his spacious enclosure for his traveling cage, the move up to the field went extremely smoothly. Click here to watch a video of these moving events. 

One week later, having given them time to acclimatise to their new environment in a temporary holding facility, Jack and his family of 11 were released; the group has since been monitored daily by Andrea Durcik, the project’s Field Manager and her team.   The team’s presence in the Park is very important not only for Jack and his family but also those primates being prepared for future releases from the Centre.  Their presence also helps ensure protection from poachers for all the wildlife in the area.

The main objectives for the in-situ team are to:

• Integrate primates into Kasungu National Park, where the monkeys can eventually survive and sustain themselves on their own without the assistance of the release team;
• Develop an effective protocol for the release of primates in Malawi - The data and knowledge gained from the programme will be shared with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife in Malawi, as well as the general public for use in similar reintroduction programmes and management of wild populations of primates;
• Develop local partnerships with the communities surrounding the National Park.  To support the livelihoods of the local communities through a trade relationship for the procurement of project supplies (food, building materials, mechanics, etc…).  To also build awareness and provide education to local communities, school children and Park staff on conservation, animal welfare and the Primate Release Programme;
• Assist the Department of National Parks and Wildlife in their operations within Kasungu National Park, focusing on their anti-poaching patrols and law enforcement scouts. To assist in the transport of anti-poaching scouts to their patrol camps, to support anti-poaching activities within the Park through procurement of needed equipment, field supplies and by providing training expenses for anti-poaching scouts. The project will also recruit research volunteers from international universities to assist Kasungu National Park with research that will contribute to the more effective management, operations and law enforcement of the Park.

How you can help?  

There are many ways in which individuals and companies can get involved in the project whether it be in the donation of equipment or money or more pro-actively by volunteering with Andrea and her team.  For more information contact us on wildlife@llwc.org

For more information

Contact us on wildlife@llwc.org.  To keep up to date with what is happening in the field with Jack and the rest of the gang, check out the release site blog