A new level of protection across its Nyika, Kasungu, Nkhotakota, Majete Vwaza, Liwonde and Elephant wildlife reserves: drones in Malawi has been announced.
Recently the forest guards relied heavily on protecting animals in their reserves. The guards usually patrol boundary lines separating animals from their human neighbours, checking for people encroaching on the reserves.
Challenges faced in the reserve.
- Human resources have limits
- Poaching of animals
- Destruction to the ecosystem
In solution to the challenges faced in the reserve, the government, in consultation with environmentalists, has conceived of a more effective method to protect the areas. A decision was made to use unmanned aerial vehicles (drones).
“The use of drones would change the approach taken in Malawi’s wildlife conservation.” Joseph Nkosi the Malawi’s Ministry of Tourism spokesperson said.
He continously said that the desirable future use of drones in wildlife conservation will bring new dimensions in both protection and research.
Park rangers cannot be everywhere at once according to Nkozi who have worked hard to protect wildlife.
Nkosi explained that use of drones provides a quick, easy and cost-effective way to monitor wildlife from a distance. They can be an effective tool for wildlife research, monitoring and counting animals.
“The introduction of drones as a major upgrade to ranger operations. Knowing where wildlife was located at all times would better help rangers protect animals against poachers” David Nangoma Nkhotakota Wildlife Reserve Manager said.
Nangoma said illegal poachers know the movement of animals well; that is why they go straight and kill them. They cannot spend time hunting because they know that they may be caught. So we really need strategies that are able to monitor everything that is happening in these places, even treating injured animals.
The use of drones and ranger activities to stamp out poaching and illegal park encroachment is supported by a growing level of goodwill from the wider population, thanks largely to the growing impact of extreme weather. Malawi has recently been hit by a series of cyclones; weather events that were rare, even unknown, previously.
Boniface Chimwaza the Chief Environmental Officer in the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change said that Forests and vegetation within wildlife reserves act as carbon sinks as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere through photosynthesis, sequester carbon and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions.
There are very few areas that have not been denuded of trees, making the importance of protecting the parks painfully obvious to all apart from Malawi’s parks.
Chimwaza explained that biodiversity plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem resilience and stability. Healthy ecosystems can better adapt to climate change impacts such as extreme weather events and provide critical services like pollination and pest control that support agriculture and human livelihood.
Weather events are increasingly attributed to global warming, including in local media. Ever since Cyclone Freddy hit Malawi in February 2022, killing hundreds of people and displacing thousands, citizens have begun making the connection between healthy forest ecosystems, carbon capture and global warming. As a result, parks and forests are increasingly recognized as a line of defence.
As Chimwaza notes that wildlife reserves remain crucial pillars for the ecosystem, Some game reserves and national parks encompass peat land ecosystems which store vast amounts of carbon. They are particularly vulnerable to degradation and release significant amounts of greenhouse gas emissions when drained or disturbed.
Chimwaza added that by safeguarding these areas, they reduce carbon emissions associated with deforestation and preserve intact ecosystems that can absorb and store carbon.
Traditional Authority Mthiramanja of the Lhomwe tribe of southern Malawi called on people to protect vulnerable ecosystems.
He added saying that they need to guard against people that are destroying their land through cutting down of trees and bushfires.
Nangoma concluded saying that drones will help them to spot anyone who encroaches on his park.
