Half of all wild lions have been lost in the past 25 years with as few as 20,000 remaining in Africa. In 2010, lions were declared at risk of extinction in Malawi. Habitat loss and fragmentation, human-wildlife conflict, prey base depletion, and the illegal trades in bushmeat as well as carnivore parts are all driving the decline. Lions are the ultimate ‘indicator species’ of healthy intact landscapes, and restoring lions and their habitats is a key conservation goal for the Department of National Parks & Wildlife (DNPW).
This campaign – a joint initiative between DNPW, LWT, and the Lion Recovery Fund – aims to build political and public will, re-framing lions in terms of their cultural, ecological and economic values to encourage peaceful and respectful co-existence. It shall compliment LWT-supported justice initiatives to combat illegal wildlife trade and species management projects such as African Parks’ re-introductions that are helping to re-establish prides in Malawi’s national parks.
Gathering insights
The Lilongwe Wildlife Trust campaigns team have been busy designing the new ‘mkango’ campaign, generously funded by the Lion Recovery Fund. It aims to increase
World Lion Day marked with Mkango Campaign Launch
A statement from Mr Brighton Kumchedwa, DNPW Director. Lions are in crisis. Half of all wild lions have been lost in the past 25 years
Recovering Lions, Restoring Landscapes
In the past 25 years, lion numbers have been cut in half across Africa. The Lion Recovery Fund is supporting partners like LWT who are
Mkango: Fast Facts
Half of all wild lions have been lost in the past 25 years with as few as 20,000 remaining in Africa. In the 1960’s, lions
Nyika Lion Sightings Confirmed
Reports of lion on the Nyika Plateau have finally been confirmed thanks to staff and guests at Chelinda Lodge. A handful of sightings have been
Bring back the King of the Jungle
Lusayo Singogo, originally published in The Nation on 13 August 2019. Numbers of lions, the ‘King of the Jungle’ and one of the world’s iconic
“Lions are part of nature… and must be protected,” Mkango project reaches Kasungu
Following the launch of our exciting new campaign, Mkango: Pride of Malawi, our campaigns team visited the village of Benjiman village in Kasungu district, to
‘Mikango’ — listen to and download the song
We’re delighted to announce the launch of a new song by the talented Malawian duo, Janta and Tigris, simply entitled ‘Mkango’ to support our Mkango: Pride
Take on the Lion Quest — How many can you find?
If you are based in Lilongwe, now’s your chance to get involved with our Mkango: Pride of Malawi Lion Quest! Join in the fun by
Learning about the Pride — Latest class receive Mkango lesson
On 25 September 2019 members of the LWT education team visited Crazmatic Primary school in Lilongwe to deliver a lesson aimed at providing awareness to
The Mkango Trendsetters
Urban artist, KGB, led a cohort of influential celebrities this weekend to celebrate the most majestic of Malawi’s species, the lion. Taking part in the
“Lions are the pride of Malawi!” New PSAs stress the importance of Malawi’s lions
Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, as part of its Mkango: Pride of Malawi campaign, have released new radio public announcements stressing the importance Malawi’s lions. The short
LWT film brings lions to life for 1,000 children
This past week our campaigns and education teams have been visiting communities in Chisinga, which borders Kasungu National Park, to teach local children and adults
Learning from each other – the lion experience
The Liwonde National Park welcomed the education team to hear more about the steps they have been taking to help reintegrate lions into the Park.
Spreading the Mkango message
Our education team have taken to the road to spread the message about ‘Mkango, the Pride of Malawi’. The tailored lesson plans help children understand