National News

NGO’s wildlife project excites government

The Department of National Parks and Wildlife has hailed a Lilongwe Wildlife Trust (LWT) project dubbed Protected Area Environmental Education Programme being implemented in Kasungu.

Speaking to the media at the end of a four-day children’s camp on Monday at Kasungu National Park, Central Region Parks and Wildlife manager Timothy Maseko said the initiative will help create a country without human-wildlife conflict.

The children touring the park
during the camp

He said: “Children’s camps are important because the attendees always get equipped with environmental knowledge and are taught the importance of conserving wildlife while seeing the animals.

“They also experience nature in the process, thereby building a young generation with a better understanding of the need to conserve wildlife and natural resources.”

Maseko, however, expressed worry over poaching which he said was still a big challenge.

“It is sad that despite several interventions from the government and some other partners like Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, some people still find it hard to respect the need of having protected areas in the country by continuing to commit wildlife crimes and encroachment,” he said.

Lilongwe Wildlife Trust head of campaigns and advocacy Samantha Nampuntha said their organisation realises the need for giving practical knowledge to primary and secondary school learners.

He said that is the reason they decided to conduct the children’s camps in national parks under the project.

“One of our aims as a trust is to promote conservation of wildlife and natural resources in the country,” she said.

There were 33 children from 25 primary and secondary schools around Kasungu National Park in attendance during the children’s camp funded by TUSK.

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