Ecovolunteer nature travel: help in research on hippos in Malawi. Malawi is a landlocked country. It is just over 9° south of the equator, at its most northerly point and just over 17° at its most southerly. It varies in width from 80km to 160km and is approximately 900km long. It is bordered by Mozambique, Zambia and Tanzania. Its people are renowned for their friendliness and their approach to life has led Malawi to be regarded as the Warm Heart of Africa. Lake Malawi, or Lake Nyasa as it is also known, is the 3rd largest lake in Africa. It is about 585km long and is between 2-7 million years old. Its Rift Valley ecosystem is unique in global terms. With over 1000 species, it has the greatest diversity of freshwater fish in the world. Hippos and man have lived here together for thousands of years. They are an important part of the ancient ecosystem but are now under threat outside of protected areas. hippos, hippopotamus amphibius, big game, lake malawi, lake nyasa, malawi, southern africa, africa, african conservation trust, nature travel, ecotourism