The Department of National Parks and Wildlife officials have confiscated 161 kilograms (kg) of ivory in Malawi and Zambia from April 1 to June 30 this year.

The bust falls under the International Fund for Animal Welfare (Ifaw)’s Combating Wildlife Crime Project, which supports departments of National Parks and Wildlife in Zambia and Malawi in the fight against wildlife crime.

Malawi-Zambia Trans-boundary Landscape Project Chief of Party Patricio Ndadzela said confiscation of the items is an indication that stakeholders are making headway in protecting wildlife. “The seizure of 161kg, compared to 265.4kg in the previous quarter, marks a significant decrease and demonstrates that we are disrupting criminals who poach and traffic wildlife,” he said.

Last year, seven Chinese nationals and two Malawians have been sentenced for trafficking Pangolins and ivory, following a growing concern for the tourism sector in Malawi. According to the Chinese Embassy, some of the Chinese nationals are Southern Africa’s most prolific wildlife trafficking syndicates, as the embassy has committed to further support the Malawi Government’s efforts in fighting illegal poaching.