Born Free Foundation - Keep Wildlife in the Wild

Rescued Baboon release programme, Kasungu National Park, Malawi, Lilongwe Wildlife Centre/Born Free Foundation.

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.

All these baboons had been originally trapped in the wild and many ended up chained and caged before rescue by the Centre so its fantastic to see them back in the wild where they belong.

The Lilongwe Primate Release Programme will bring significant benefits to the indivdual animals concerned as well as helping protect the wild monkey populations in Malawi.  This project requires significant funding and should you wish to help, you may like to read the funding document - funds for individual items would be much appreciated.