WHAT A MONTH FOR WERU!

Our Wildlife Emergency Response Unit is always busy, being a first point of call for wildlife emergencies across the whole of Malawi! This last month was no exception with more than 3,500km travelled by the team and a whole lot of achievements including:

• De-snaring Success: This last month has sadly seen a few snared elephants, with one individual successfully treated in Thuma Forest Reserve, East Malawi, and a further two reported in southern Liwonde National Park. Fortunately, WERU managed to de-snare these two elephants in a speedy 24 hours with the help of a helicopter. A buffalo calf was also successfully de-snared in Liwonde, helping combat poaching and the illegal bush meat trade.
• Data collection: In Nyala Park and Game Haven more than a dozen skin biopsies were collected from the giraffe population. This was done using biopsy darts and will be used for genetic testing for Majete Wilderness Reserve and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.
• Research: Lilongwe Wildlife Centre veterinarian Dr Alice Dumoulin assisted Carnivore Research Malawi (CRM) with placing a collar on a jackal in the centre’s wilderness area. This should provide more information on this nocturnal species and it’s movements within the centre.
• Collar Removal: After one and a half years of attempts a hyena’s research collar that had become too tight was finally removed! The hyena is reported in good body condition and most likely pregnant again, so a new litter of cubs may be spotted in Liwonde National Park soon.
• Consultations: Dr Amanda Salb is an expert within her field and therefore often required to attend consultations. This month she travelled to Liwonde National Park and Majete Wilderness Reserve to advise on wildlife mortalities.

We wonder what next month will bring! Thanks, as ever, to the Olsen Animal Trust and the Born Free Foundation who sponsor WERU.