Malawi is a country in southern Africa.
Kasungu National Park, which straddles Malawi and Zambia, became the site of a deadly conflict between humans and elephants after 263 elephants were transferred there from Liwonde National Park in July 2022. The translocation was organised by the International Fund for Animal Welfare on behalf of Malawi's government, intended to ease pressure on Liwonde, where elephant numbers were growing, and to shore up the decimated population at Kasungu.
The effort was troubled from the start. Liwonde is lush and rich in greenery; Kasungu's terrain consists of tough vegetation with few nutrients, making nearby farmers' crops of maize, watermelons and pumpkins irresistible to the elephants. According to local activists, at least 12 people have been killed by elephants and thousands more have lost their livelihoods since the transfer. At least 80 elephants have also died, many shot by angry farmers.
As Africa's human population has grown, what used to be buffer zones of bush around protected areas are home to human settlements. Nearly half a million people live in the three Zambian districts bordering Kasungu. Some victims of the conflict are considering a group-action negligence claim against IFAW in a British court, which would be the first of its kind against an animal-welfare organisation. IFAW says the decision to move the elephants was made by Malawi's government and that official figures do not suggest an increase in conflict following the move.
"Once they go up, who cares where they come down? That's not my department."