LILONGWE | Malawi’s Department of National Parks and Wildlife (DNPW), in partnership with African Parks, has introduced a contraceptive program to control the rapidly growing lion population in the country’s wildlife reserves. The initiative, first implemented at Majete Wildlife Reserve about 70 kilometers south of Blantyre targets lions of reproductive age to prevent overpopulation.
According to DNPW Director Brighton Kumchedwa, the lion numbers in Majete and Liwonde reserves have risen sharply, exceeding the reserves’ carrying capacity and prompting frequent fence breaches into nearby communities. “This has negatively affected biodiversity, especially antelope populations due to increased predation,” he told Xinhua in a phone interview. “The contraceptives are a temporary measure to manage the population surge.”
Kumchedwa explained that the effects will last around five years, after which the lions’ reproductive systems will return to normal. Authorities are exploring long-term options for sustainable population management.
Between January and October 2025, Malawi recorded 19 human fatalities and several injuries resulting from human-wildlife conflicts involving lions, hippos, crocodiles, buffaloes, and hyenas.