The historical occurrence of giraffe in Malawi is uncertain due to limited records. Today, there are approximately 35 South African giraffe (Giraffa giraffa giraffa) in the country – most of them in Majete Wildlife Reserve and a few in small private reserves. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation works closely with the Malawi Department of National Parks and Wildlife and African Parks, guided by the first-ever National Giraffe Conservation Action Plan that we developed together with local partners.
Majete Wildlife Reserve is located in the southernmost part of Africa’s Great Rift Valley. During the late 1980s and 1990s, extensive poaching led to the local extinction of most species. The Reserve faced widespread logging, human encroachment, and intensive fishing. Since African Parks started to rehabilitate, develop, and manage Majete Wildlife Reserve in 2003, over 2,900 animals from 13 different species were reintroduced from Malawi, Zambia, and South Africa, restoring it to Malawi’s only Big Five Game Reserve and making it a prominent wildlife destination in Malawi.
In 2018 and 2021, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation helped to establish the first source population of South African giraffe in the reserve. During one of the longest road translocations of giraffe ever, giraffe travelled from South Africa to Majete Wildlife Reserve and today over 30 individuals roam the park. The Giraffe Conservation Foundation works closely with all partners to ensure this new giraffe population continues to thrive, whilst looking at new opportunities in the country for giraffe.
