of an enclave resort, but there are small enterprises such as Makanga Women's Group and Njobvu Cultural Village Lodge which market goods and services to park tourists. Before the building of a fence, people living near the park argued in support of its construction, saying that the animals were damaging their crops. Proposals have been made by the Malawi Minister of Finance for revenue generated by the park to be divided between the park and local communities, although implementation was delayed. Tourism Mvuu Lodge ("mvuu" means "hippopotamus" in Chewa), located on the banks of the Shire River, is the only lodge in the park, as of February 2015. The lodge, established in 1995, is operated by Central Africa Wilderness Safaris, a company known for its sustainable practices and willingness to support local communities and conservation efforts. Mvuu Lodge has a sister property called Mvuu Camp. Boat safaris provide guests with opportunities to view wildlife. The lodge and camp employed 110 people, as of 2015, including: 14 guides, 4 mechanics (and a boat mechanic), 3 carpenters, 2 tailors, a builder, an electrician and assistant, and a shoemaker and has 56 beds as well as camp sites. Previously, a second lodge, the Chinguni Hills Lodge, operated in the southern part of the park. Opened in 2000, this lodge had 44 beds plus camp sites and focussed on budget and mid-range markets in comparison with Mvuu's high end focus. Conservation partnerships African Bat Conservation conducted research in Liwonde in 2014 and worked with the park on the National Bat Monitoring Programme, which evaluates the diversity and size of bat populations, until 2016. Carnivore Research Malawi worked with the park to evaluate carnivore density and distribution, particularly for the spotted hyena population, until 2016. In 2021, the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust assumed responsibility for the monitoring of a number of species in Liwonde National Park on behalf of African Parks. Their programme focuses on the reintroduced carnivores, plus a range of ecologically and nationally important species. The Liwonde National Park Conservation Programme, which seeks to improve the park's management and security and support nearby communities, is a collaboration between the International Fund for Animal Welfare and DNPW. Projects have included fish farming, hydroponics, human–wildlife conflict and poaching reduction efforts, and skills training. Further reading References External links Liwonde at African Parks Liwonde National Park at Lonely Planet African Parks (organisation) Geography of Southern Region, Malawi