Pendjari National Park

Pendjari National Park lies in north-western Benin, next to the Arli National Park in Burkina Faso. It is named after the Pendjari River and is famous for its wildlife. The park is home to some of the last groups of big animals in West Africa, such as the African forest elephant, lion, hippopotamus, African buffalo, and many kinds of antelopes. It is also a great place for birds to live.

The park covers a large area of 2,755 km² (1,064 sq mi) and is part of the WAP Complex, a big protected area that includes parts of Benin, Burkina Faso, and Niger. In this area, you can see hills and cliffs from the Atakora range.

In March 2009, Pendjari National Park was suggested to become a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In July 2017, it officially became a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the larger WAP Complex.

Ecology

Pendjari National Park has rocky cliffs with few trees, including species like Burkea africana and Detarium microcarpum. Some higher areas have more plant variety, such as Isoberlinia doka and Afzelia africana. The Pendjari River is surrounded by forest, and the park includes both Sudanian and Guinean savannas. The park gets about 1,100 millimetres (43 inches) of rain each year. It is open all year, but from June to November, heavy rain can make some parts hard to visit.

Fauna and flora

Pendjari National Park is a special place for many animals. It is one of the last homes for big animals like the African elephant. The park has more than 800 elephants and many other large animals such as hippopotamus, African buffalo, and different kinds of antelopes. There are also smaller animals like monkeys and various types of bovids.

The park is also very important for birds. Over 300 different kinds of birds live there or visit. You can see many interesting birds such as the hooded vulture, African openbill stork, and Abdim's stork. The park helps protect these birds and their homes.