Lengwe National Park | |
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IUCN category II (national park)
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Location | Malawi |
Nearest city | Blantyre |
Coordinates | 16°15′28″S 34°45′05″E / 16.25778°S 34.75139°ECoordinates: 16°15′28″S 34°45′05″E / 16.25778°S 34.75139°E |
Area | 887 km² |
Established | 1970 |
Governing body | Department of National Parks |
Lengwe National Park is a national park in Malawi located near the town of Chikwawa and about 40 miles southwest of Blantyre. Lengwe's topography is unusual for Malawi and consists of open deciduous forests and dense thickets. It is the home of the reclusive Nyala antelope.
The climate of Lengwe is hot and dry, and the only source of consistent water is from the rain. Many man-made water holes have been constructed to attract and maintain the animal population. The government operates the Nyala Lodge for visitors.
Animals that inhabit this park are the spotted hyena, leopard, warthog, kudu, impala, Samango monkey, reedbuck, Cape buffalo and suni. Interesting birds, particularly shrikes, rollers, bee-eaters and the Yellow-spotted nicator.