Where to see Black Rhino in Malawi

Quick facts about Black Rhino

Black rhinos were once widespread in Malawi. During the 1980s, poaching took a heavy toll, and the last individual was killed in 1990 in Liwonde National Park. In 1993, two black rhinos were translocated to Liwonde from South Africa. The reintroduction process gathered steam in 2003, when African Parks took over management of Majete Wildlife Reserve, southwest of Liwonde. Five black rhinos were introduced here, alongside numerous other large mammals. In 2015, African Parks also took over Liwonde, and in 2019 they introduced 17 black rhinos in what was then the largest ever translocation of the species. The rhinos have since thrived in both reserves, with no poaching recorded in either. In 2003, Malawi’s total population stood at 56.

Malawi: black rhino hot spots

Today you are more likely to see a black rhino in Malawi than at any time in the last 50 years. To do so, you must visit either Liwonde National Park or Majete Wildlife Reserve, both in the south, where the species has been successfully reintroduced. Numbers are small – a little more than 50 in total – but increasing. Both reserves have been undergone impressive rehabilitation after decades of neglect, with a major reintroduction programme under African Parks seeing the likes of lion, cheetah and African wild dog returned to former haunts, alongside an upgrading of visitor facilities. Black rhinos are elusive, sticking largely to dense bush. Sightings are easiest during the September–November dry season, when they are most likely to visit waterholes.