Video and images of first official animal release in Kasungu National Park , Malawi
Category: Lilongwe Wildlife Centre | Date: Jan 15 2009 | By: bornfree
Happy New Year everyone!!
Well we have had an exciting and busy time this last month. We are proud to announce that we had our first official release of animals that we have rescued and rehabilitated. It was an exciting and emotional day for all concerned.
After a year of planning and co-ordinating with National Parks of Malawi we found a suitable site in Kasungu National Park in central Malawi on Sunday 6th December, the Wildlife Centre rounded up Jack’s troop into their travel boxes. The transfer up to Kasungu was in fact delayed by 24 hours, it appeared that Jack (the troop’s alpha male) was not so happy about the whole move and refused to come into the holding area where he could be darted and sedated. He was however eventually darted and boxed up. After just five hours on the road Jack’s troop was at the release site in Kasungu National Park, a beautiful spot along the river, where Jack and his family were transferred into a temporary holding area where they remained for a week to give them time to settle into their new environment. The troop was now one step closer to freedom!
Then on Saturday 13th December, a team of us from the Wildlife Centre opened the gates and Jack and his family were released back to the wild. The final step that saw them returned home, free and wild. It was an emotional morning for the team, watching the baboons take their first steps out of the gates of the holding area, especially for those who had cared for these animals and nursed some of them back to health, it was wonderful to see them free, chasing butterflies and climbing trees.
Our release research team headed up by Andrea will stay up at the park and track and check on the baboons for the next year. Three of the troop have been fitted with radio collars so tracking is easy.
Andrea is coming to town this week and will give us an update on how the baboons are doing….. keep watching this space!!
The release site where the baboons stayed for a week to acclimatise.
Tags: animal release, baboon, bushmeat, Lilongwe Wildlife Centre, Malawi, rehabilitation
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