Wildlife and Environmental Societ of Malawi Co-Existing in Harmony with Nature Newsletter January 2019 Blantyre Branch

JANUARY 2019 MEETING

Discovery of a unique population of Chimpanzees in Democratic Republic of the Congo Jeroen Swinkels

The Bas-Ueleforest in Northern Democratic Republic of the Congo has been an unexplored area for decades due to its remoteness and inaccessibility. In the 1990’s, reports came out of the area about gigantic, bipedal, lion-eating great apes. In 2004, the University of Amsterdam began a research project to find out what is really living in those remote forests close to the borders with the Central African Republic and South Sudan.

Tuesday 8th January, 6:30pm for 7:00pm start Blantyre Sports Club All Welcome

DECEMBER 2018 MEETING

The Cheetah of Liwonde Olivia Sievert gave a fascinating talk in December about the origins of the cheetah in Liwonde National Park and how they have fared since being introduced in May 2017. The cheetahs were sourced through Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Cheetah Metapopulation Project in South Africa and appear to have settled down well in their new home. With only 7,000 cheetah remaining in the wild, their reintroduction into secure environments will be of huge importance in ensuring the survival of these beautiful animals. Photo credit: African Parks

PLEASE RENEW YOUR MEMBERSHIP

Subscriptions for 2019 can be paid at our monthly WESM meetings or online via PayPal at www.wesmblantyre.com. Costs are as follows: Family - MK10,000; Individual - MK6,000; Volunteers and Students - MK3,000; Overseas Membership - £20 (Sterling) DECLINING NYALA IN LENGWE NATIONAL PARK - WESM Blantyre Branch Statistics

WESM Blantyre Branch has conducted annual game counts in Lengwe National Park since 1967. During the first count, the focus was on nyala alone and these animals have remained a prioritized species for the count ever since. The 52nd annual count, conducted on 13-14 October 2018, counted a total of 173 nyala, giving the daily average of 87 nyala. These numbers are a fraction of what has been recorded in the past; during the 1970’s and early 1980’s nyala recorded in Lengwe numbered in Male Nyala the thousands. This paints a sad picture of a nature reserve Photo credit: Dave Montreuil under severe threat.

4000

3000

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0 Year 1970 1974 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018

Daily average of nyala recorded during the annual game count at Lengwe National Park 1967-2018. (Rain in 2011 prevented numbers being recorded.)

To read the complete report of the 2018 Game Count, visit www.wesmblantyre.com.

THE END OF AN ERA - Magdalena Andersson Paul

The 2018 Lengwe Game Count was the last to be organized by Paul and Dilys Taylor. The couple took over the running of the count in 1991, having been involved as counters for many years prior. From 1991 – 2002, Dilys was in charge of all the catering; breakfasts (two shifts), lunch (two shifts) and dinner for the weary counters. The facilities at the Government Resthouse, which was the base-camp in those days, were minimal so the provision of food was a feat of planning. Meal times were convivial occasions that are fondly recalled. The opening of Nyala Lodge in 2003 meant Dilys was able to return to counting duties. It was Paul’s annual task to drum up volunteers, get the hides in good shape and help Dilys to draw up the rosters to ensure that all volunteers had their turn at the hides with the most animal traffic. Due in no small part to their dedication and determination, the count has continued uninterrupted for 52 years in this neglected but most attractive park. The many people who have participated in the counts over the years will recall, with affection, their hours in the hides watching the changing scene and thank the Taylors for providing them with this privileged opportunity.

WESM Newsletter - January 2019 - Page 2 MALAWI WINS SECOND PLACE

Mobilising biodiversity data is the foundation of mainstreaming conservation into governmental policy. However, critical data-deficits currently undermine efforts to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity in Africa. Currently, <4% of the total records published on the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) pertain to Africa. Furthermore, only half of the total African records have been published through African countries or organisations, of which South Africa contributes the majority of the published records.

The Africa Biodiversity Challenge, managed and implemented by the South African National Biodiversity Network in collaboration with GBIF and other partners, was about mobilizing biodiversity data and making it accessible through the GBIF platform. Prior to this Challenge, no biodiversity data on Malawi from Malawi was available; all data in the public domain was supplied by outside institutions. Rising to the challenge, WESM together with the Museum, National Herbarium and Botanical Gardens (NHBG) and the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) formed a team with each institution responsible for the following:

WESM - mobilizing historical data in Nyala journals, Vocifer newsletters and branch newsletters Museum - digitizing museum collections, focusing on collections made by Prof Cornell Dudley NHBG - digitizing specimen data on useful plants and other field data that they held in hard copies NCST - setting up an Integrated Publication Toolkit that is now used to put these mobilized data onto the GBIF website.

Countries who participated in the Challenge were Malawi, Ghana, Namibia and Rwanda. While Ghana secured first place, Malawi was awarded the Silver medal (USD 20,000). An outstanding achievement, especially considering the team was new to the practice of digitizing data. Well done all!

Congratulations to the Award Winning Team (from left to right John Chipeta (Museum), Montfort, Blessings Chingagwe (WESM), Elizabeth Mwafongo (NHBG), Zacheous Kantchowa (NCST), Nollipher, Tiwonge Gawa (WESM), and Donald Mpalika (NHBG)

WESM Newsletter - January 2019 - Page 3 MALAWI REJECTS TROPHY HUNTING - Lilongwe Wildlife Trust

The Malawian Government have confirmed that they have REJECTED the trophy hunting proposal! Special thanks go to the Malawi Parliamentary Conservation Caucus for their strong stance. Hon Commodius Nyirenda, MP and MPCC Spokesperson, said, “Public opinion reflects that of the Malawi Parliamentary Conservation Caucus: that trophy hunting is not welcome in Malawi. We value our reputation as a tourism destination too highly. And – where legal hunting can be used as a cover for illegal wildlife trade and undermine community sensitisation efforts – we believe that the questionable revenue is not worth the associated risks that could ultimately undermine conservation efforts.”

Thanks also to PASA Primates: Pan African Sanctuary Alliance, Born Free Foundation Olsen Animal Trust, Love Support Unite and Green Paw Project - Animal Welfare Charity for their extra support.

The Government statement is as follows: “We can confirm that the trophy hunting component of the proposal in question was not approved by the government. Whilst new legislation (under sections 54 and 95) does include some hunting provisions, the Government of Malawi would like to remind citizens, residents and tourists that hunting of protected species, or hunting of any species within a protected area, is a wildlife crime. The Government of Malawi is committed to uphold this law.” The hunting provisions referred to here are ‘as may be necessary in defence of human life or property’.

WARM HEARTS ARE NOT MADE OF PLASTIC CAMPAIGN

The recent stay order on the ban on the production of thin plastics (those with a thickness less than 6o microns) has prompted WESM to launch this crowd- funding campaign. All money raised through this campaign will help us organise village meetings to publicise the dangers of thin plastics, fund lobbying and meet the legal fees needed to launch an appeal to the current stay order. Please help us in ensuring the government ban on thin plastics in Malawi is effected.

You can contribute to this campaign using any of the following means: www.justgiving.com/campaign/MalawiWESMFriends - paste this link into your web browser to donate online. Or, make a donation into WESM’s account at National Bank of Malawi, Blantyre Branch, Account 354325. Thank you for your support.

WESM Newsletter - January 2019 - Page 4 MAJETE WILDLIFE RESERVE AND LIWONDE NATIONAL PARK - WESM Member

We visited Majete Wildlife Reserve, under the management of African Parks since 2003, where we stayed at Thawale Lodge. We had a wonderful view of the male Black Rhino - "Lundu" when he strolled down to the waterhole which was overlooked by the hide where we were having our "Sundowners". He was followed by two lions which then lay down at the foot of the steps leading to the hide. Earlier we had enjoyed seeing dozens of Nyala, Waterbuck and Warthog, and a few Elephants, Giraffe, Hartebeest, Kudu, Bushbuck, and Bush Pigs.

We also visited Liwonde National Park where we were taken by Olivia to see a magnificent male Cheetah. Later in the afternoon we had marvellous views of at least 8 magnificent male Kudu, and a huge herd of Kudu females and young - at least 18! The next morning we went up the river and saw lots of Plovers (Spur-winged, Long-toed), Goliath Herons, Water Dikkop, Storks (Open-billed, Yellow-billed), Fish Eagles and Ospreys, also Elephants, Hippo and Crocodile in Liwonde Crocs. Photo credit: Dave Montreuil

SNARE BOUNTY - Paul Taylor

The Snare Bounty or Cash Incentive Scheme was started by WESM many years ago whereby Scouts (now referred to as Rangers) were rewarded for confiscating snares, gin traps, muzzle loaders, etc., making arrests and gaining convictions. For a period, some WESM Branches tried to support their nearest National Park, e.g. Mzuzu – Nyika National Park, Lilongwe – Kasungu National Park, Zomba – Liwonde National Park. But this no longer occurs. WESM Blantyre however, continues to give support including snare bounties to Michiru Nature Sanctuary, Lengwe National Park, Mwabvi Wildlife Reserve and, on occasion, Kasungu National Park and Nyika National Park.

Unfortunately, the snare bounty claims from Lengwe became financially unsustainable and doubts were expressed about its effectiveness when the game numbers continued to decline. Rather than abandoning the scheme altogether, it was decided to reward the top ten performing Rangers a l l o c a t i n g K 5 5 0 , 0 0 0 d i v i d e d proportionally, with the top Ranger receiving K100,000. In December, WESM Blantyre Chairman and the Rangers at Rangers were awarded their cash Lengwe National Park along with a framed certificate and a spade kindly donated by Mapeto.

WESM Newsletter - January 2019 - Page 5 DECEMBER 2018 RAINFALL IN BLANTYRE - Mike Bamford

December was a wetter than average month with the recorded rainfall at my house in Sunnyside being 311 mm. This total is 46% more than my average for the previous 21 years of 213 mm. It was the third wettest December in that period, only being exceeded by December 2007 (443 mm) and December 2008 (325 mm). Given that the totals for October and November 2018 were also well in excess of the average, the rains can be said to have got off to an excellent start and augur well for the crops and river flows.

WESM 2020 CALENDAR - CALL FOR PHOTOS

We are looking for landscape and wildlife photographs, taken in all corners of the country, for inclusion in the 2020 calendar. Resolution must be at least 3500 x 2355 pixels at 300dpi. Smaller resolution photos can be submitted in the first instance but please include a note to tell us what resolution is available should the photo be put forward for selection. TIFF or RAW files are preferred, although JPEGs may be accepted provided they are of sufficient resolution. Images must be in focus and with low noise. Try shooting with ISO’s of 400 or less, if possible. On Lake Chilwa Photo credit: Dave Montreuil

Please note that photographs of birds in the distance and cropped from much larger photographs are very rarely good enough for reproduction in the calendar. Please ensure the resolution meets the criteria above.

Please send submissions to Frank Johnston at [email protected].

REJECTED EMAIL ADDRESSES

The following email addresses are being continually being rejected by our system. Please contact [email protected] if you can help resolve any of these. [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected]

WESM Newsletter - January 2019 - Page 6 VULTURE STAMP ISSUES

A suggestion that Malawi’s five indigenous vultures (Lappetfaced, Whitebacked, Whiteheaded, Palm and Hooded Vultures) would make an interesting postage stamp issue was taken up two keen philatelist WESM members who approached the Malawi Post Office with the idea. The Post Office eventually approved the new issue and photos of the five vultures were provided. Unfortunately, although no doubt it delighted stamp collectors, the printers made errors on the souvenir sheet omitting the stamp value (K450), the date and the names of the vultures. Now a further issue has appeared entitled “Vultures of Africa” and featuring six species, some of which do not exist in Africa.

SAINTS QUIZ NIGHT IN SUPPORT OF MICHIRU

Saint Andrew’s International High School will be hosting a quiz night on Friday 18th January, to help raise funds to improve the picnic site at Michiru Nature Sanctuary. The goal is to put in a water supply and improve the braai and toilet facilities. Entry cost is 2,000 MK per adult, 1,000 MK for students and children. Maximum team size is 4 people, with larger teams incurring a penalty.

Saint Andrew’s International High School Friday 18th January, 7pm for a 7:30pm start.

WESM Newsletter - January 2019 - Page 7 WESM’S 2019 CALENDAR - STILL AVAILABLE

Copies of WESM’s 2019 calendar are still available from any of the following WESM members: Sarah Burr (099 717 0427; [email protected]) Paul Taylor (099 445 4119; [email protected]) Phil Pile (099 996 1756) Mike Bamford (099 962 0418)

Calendars can also be purchased at AfroChoc, La Caverna, Crystal’s Florists and at our branch meetings. Cost is MK7,000 for members and K7,500 for non- members.

HORSE MANURE FOR SALE

MK1,000 per bag (bring your own bag) with all proceeds going to wildlife conservation in Malawi. Please contact Christina to arrange pick-up: cfi[email protected] or 088-898-8771.

MILK BAGS AND CARTONS

WESM Blantyre is always in need of empty drink cartons and milk bags, which are used to grow tree seedlings. Simply cut off the tops of your drink cartons, rinse well and flatten. Milk bags need only be rinsed. Drop off at the WESM Blantyre office in Limbe, or bring to any monthly meeting.

BLANTYRE BRANCH COMMITTEE THE WILDLIFE AND Chairman Paul Taylor ENVIRONMENTAL Treasurer Mike Bamford SOCIETY OF MALAWI Secretary Magdalena Paul BLANTYRE BRANCH Membership Secretary Catherine Wilson Corporate Membership OPEN! Calendar Coordinator Phil Pile Wildlife Research Officer Tiwonge Gawa [email protected] Communications Dave Montreuil www.wesmblantyre.com Mulanje & Nyika Rep. Carl Bruessow facebook - wildlifeblantyre Member Ed Green

WESM Newsletter - January 2019 - Page 8