It may sound simple, but the Lilongwe River changes completely during the rainy season. Whereas the water barely flowed when I got here, it has now risen a few meters and is turbulent as it flows through the national park. Areas where rocks were exposed are now covered, and animals are gathering along the shores. Millipedes and large snails now cover the paths and trees, which were never present before the rain.
The Lilongwe Wildlife Trust released their 2026 strategy: "People and nature together." Their goals are to save wildlife, deter nature crime, and secure healthy landscapes for people and wildlife. In Malawi and many other African countries, wildlife crime syndicates exist to smuggle animals out of the country or hunt them for body parts, like elephant tusks and rhino horns. The country also has goals of protecting wildlife from deforestation, which is sometimes done illegally to obtain charcoal. Unfortunately, it is a common problem in Malawi.
