The History and Conservation of Mammals in Malawi

"This study examines the relationship between humans and mammals from the time of the first inhabitants of Malawi through to the present day. Hunting and cattle grazing were never easy tasks: from the dangers of hunting in the early days of the Abatwa (pre-Bantu gatherers and hunters in Malawi), to the devastating impact of tsetse fly, rinderpest, and the hazards of 'poaching'. Brian Morris explains how the game parks and protected areas came into existence and provides details of the different mammal species and their numbers obtained from records made by government officials and researchers. He examines the various reasons why mammal numbers and species dwindled and highlights several factors not just 'poaching' which has always been the main focus of blame. Morris includes a short history of wildlife preservation in Malawi focusing particularly on G.D. Hayes, whom he knew, and the beginnings of the Nyasaland Fauna Preservation Society (NFPS), the predecessor of the present Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM)."--BOOK JACKET.