On The Ground in Malawi: the wildlife

From the very small to the extremely large...

Large areas in Malawi are nowadays used for agriculture or have been affected by deforestation. But some of the original remarkable diversity is still there, especially in protected areas.

The cichlids: small fish with surprising behaviour

Cichlid fishes are some of the most peculiar animals of Malawi. There are approximately 900 cichlid species in Lake Malawi.

As an adaptation to living with such a great number of competing relatives, many species have developed survival strategies amazingly different from each other. Some hide in snail shells to avoid being eaten, others pretend to be a seaweed in order to catch a passing prey. Some hunt in packs, whereas others rely on a less heroic tactic of playing dead to appear harmless.

The rhino: a horned giant on the comeback

One of the rarest animals in Africa is the black rhino. This species is in rapid decline, having already disappeared from many parts of Africa. A few have now been successfully reintroduced in Malawi in Liwonde National Park.

National parks crucial for conservation

Of the national parks in Malawi, those with the largest biodiversity are Liwonde National Park and Lake Malawi National Park. Liwonde is home to the repatriated rhinos, as well as to a wide variety of other wildlife thriving in the woodlands and on the riversides. Lake Malawi National Park was established to provide a safe breeding place for the cichlids, as well as to protect some of the forests on the lakeshores.