$65 Million for parks and protected areas in Malawi & Rwanda

AFRICAN Parks has received a committed of $65 million from the Wyss Foundation to secure protected areas in Malawi and Rwanda. The money will extend the Wyss Foundation’s existing support to African Parks for Liwonde National Park, Majete Wildlife Reserve and Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve as well as Akagera National Park in Rwanda.

African Parks currently manages 10 parks in seven countries, totalling approximately six million hectares of protected areas. Founder and Chairman of the Wyss Foundation, Hansjörg Wyss, said in a statement that African Parks has demonstrated success in cooperating with local leaders, communities and African nations in preserving ecosystems benefiting

Founder and Chairman of the Wyss Foundation, Hansjörg Wyss, said in a statement that African Parks has demonstrated success in cooperating with local leaders, communities and African nations in preserving ecosystems benefiting wildlife, while supporting local communities and populations.

The Foundation has been a critical partner for African Parks in implementing one of the most globally significant elephant translocations in human history.

Up to 500 elephants are currently being moved from two parks with a surplus (Liwonde and Majete) to a third park (Nkhotakota) that until recently had been heavily poached but has since been secured and is poised to be restocked and revived as Malawi’s premier elephant sanctuary.

In addition to these elephants, more than 1,000 head of other animals, including sable antelope, buffalo, waterbuck and impala to Nkhotakota, re-establishing viable founder populations, and helping to restore the health of the park. African Parks Chief Executive Officer, eter Fearnhead, said it is rare to find individuals who commit themselves to save Africa’s wildlife for the benefit of the people.

“Our vision is to protect 20 parks by 2020, bringing up to 10 million hectares of wilderness under our management. This historic gift, and the partnership forged with the Wyss Foundation, enables us to have a conservation impact at a scale which is globally significant.

“We couldn’t be more grateful for this inspiring and transformational commitment to the continent of Africa,” Fearnhead said.