Everyone always wants to know what kinds of animals are in Malawi. Many assume when you hop off the plane you are gazing at fields of elephants, lions, giraffes and zebras! While it is an engaging thought, the truth is not nearly so spectacular as that. Similar to the United States, there are two different groups of animals in Malawi; I will call them local and exotic.
Local animals:
These animals are the ones that you find in the village areas where people live. Everywhere you look you can find free-roaming chickens, goats, pigs and cows (including on the roads!) I also saw several dogs and a few cats, and of course various birds, insects and snakes.
Exotic animals:
These animals are the ones that you will find when you go to the game parks. Although the animals roam free within these areas, it is easiest to think of these places like zoos. The animals you find here are animals that most of the local people will never see in their lifetime simply because the game parks are not close to the village areas and there is a substantial fee to enter them.
There are many different game parks in Malawi. I went to Liwonde National Park and was fortunate to see a number of fascinating animals in their natural habitat: elephants, hippos, crocodiles, warthogs, baboons/monkeys, many kinds of antelope/deer-type animals and various eagles and birds.
In other game parks in Malawi, it is also possible to see animals such as lions, leopards, rhinos and zebras.
Local animals:
These animals are the ones that you find in the village areas where people live. Everywhere you look you can find free-roaming chickens, goats, pigs and cows (including on the roads!) I also saw several dogs and a few cats, and of course various birds, insects and snakes.
Most animals are not tethered in any fashion, although I once saw a goat being pulled along by a rope tied to its front leg. (I thought the poor little goat looked pitiful limping around on three legs, but when I asked why they didn't use a rope around the goat's neck, I was met with complete comfusions as to why we would choke the goat so that he could not eat properly!)
Exotic animals:
These animals are the ones that you will find when you go to the game parks. Although the animals roam free within these areas, it is easiest to think of these places like zoos. The animals you find here are animals that most of the local people will never see in their lifetime simply because the game parks are not close to the village areas and there is a substantial fee to enter them.
There are many different game parks in Malawi. I went to Liwonde National Park and was fortunate to see a number of fascinating animals in their natural habitat: elephants, hippos, crocodiles, warthogs, baboons/monkeys, many kinds of antelope/deer-type animals and various eagles and birds.
In other game parks in Malawi, it is also possible to see animals such as lions, leopards, rhinos and zebras.
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