Ecotourism Tips:

· Malawi has strict laws relating to wildlife, fisheries, forestry and CITES.

· This page is designed to inform you about the laws governing their import, export or other dealings in Malawi.

· Documentation is required for all wildlife products leaving Malawi including plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects

· If you want to take wildlife products home, check whether they are prohibited or regulated

· Permits and further advice can be obtained from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife (see below for contact details).

· Only buy from dealers whose licenses are publicly displayed

· Do not rely on the assurances of vendors as to the legality of a souvenir

· Check with your home country’s embassy and airline on their regulations concerning import and transport of wildlife products

· Avoid woodcarvings made from local hard wood, instead choose Mango, Jacaranda or exotic trees

Prohibited:

· All ELEPHANT IVORY products and other body parts

· All RHINO HORN

· Coats and other items made from CAT SKINS such as CHEETAH and LEOPARDS

· Some PLANTS such as ORCHIDS and CYCADS

· COLLECTION from the WILD of any plant or animal, dead or alive.

Permits Required:

· HIPPOPOTAMUS and WARTHOG TUSKS

· REPTILE SKINS such as PYTHON and CROCODILE

· ZEBRA and ANTELOPE SKINS and their products

· ALL LIVE animals including INSECTS

Illegal Wildlife Trade:

· Are you part of the solution or part of the problem?

· Malawi has a wide range of strikingly beautiful traditional arts and crafts on sale. Many of these skillfully produced items are made from animal and plant parts that are endangered and protected.

· By getting proper permits you are supporting the legal and sustainable use of wildlife in Malawi. This is an important incentive for conservation and contributes to Malawi’s economy and the livelihoods of thousands of people.

· Every year, worldwide, thousands of illegal wildlife specimens are confiscated from tourists and other individuals. Ignorance can lead to fines or other legal problems including arrest.

CITES: The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

· CITES is an independent agreement prohibiting international trade in endangered species, while allowing limited, regulated trade in other species vulnerable to over-exploitation.

· Malawi became a signatory nation to CITES in 1982 and co-operates with another 144 member countries to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of wildlife. Trade in many species require special CITES permits. These may be obtained from the CITES website - www.cites.org

TRAFFIC: Trade Records Analysis of Flora and Fauna in Commerce

TRAFFIC is the world’s largest wildlife trade monitoring programme with 20 offices on six continents. TRAFFIC is a joint programme of WWF (The World Wide Fund for Nature) and IUCN (The World Conservation Union) and works in close cooperation with the CITES Secretariat. TRAFFIC aims to ensure that wildlife trade is maintained at sustainable levels and in accordance with domestic and international laws.

For more information contact: PAW Malawi

Alternatively look at:

www.traffic.org

www.iucn.org

www.cites.org