Malawi: Training

Update from our Malawi expedition volunteering with elephants, hippo, cats, pangolins and African biodiversity

The 2024 Malawi expedition has started! The team of elevencitizen scientists arrived late on Sunday, a little delayed by inevitable bad roads and a misunderstanding by the fastidious guards at the Vwaza Wildlife Reserve gates. But they arrived in good spirits. It wasn’t long before the team were settled into base camp and rewarded with a good supper after their long journey from Lilongwe.

We have now completed day 1 of two days of training in how to operate safely in this environment and how to do the scientific research. The day’s training ended with a hike along the lakeside, accompanied by an armed ranger, to practice the hippo transect methodology and also to get a feel for our research area. We came across plenty of hippos including the sight of a bull hippo chasing off an interloper in the lake, dramatically splashing through the water like clumsy dolphins. The team successfully recorded the information they needed to for the hippo transect. We also spotted the clear tracks of a hyaena in the sandy vehicle track by the lake – a significant discovery as hyaenas are rarely seen here in Vwaza.

Crocodiles were spotted on the edge of the lake, along with egrets, ibises and spoonbills. We saw impala and kudu in the distance along with a trio of warthogs. By the time we walked back to base camp, we came across a massive troop of yellow baboons in the warm evening light and as the sun set, some of the hippos were beginning to venture out of the water to head off to spend the night wandering through the bush, browsing the vegetation.

This evening some of the team have headed off in two off road vehicles to place the remaining camera traps, armed with spotlights to see what nocturnal animals are out there.

Tomorrow will be focussed on the elephant research methodologies. I am crossing my fingers that some elephants will make an appearance, to help with the training.

Update from our Malawi volunteer expedition including elephant volunteer Africa and lion volunteer Africa