Benin has varied resources of wildlife comprising flora and fauna, which are primarily protected in its two contiguous protected areas of the Pendjari National Park and W National Park. The former is known for many species of avifauna and the latter park is rich in mammals and predators. In addition, many other forest reserves are noted in the country but are not easily accessible, well protected or adequately surveyed for its wildlife resources. The protected area of Benin which is defined as a National Protected Area System is in northern Benin, mostly with a woody savanna ecosystem. It covers 10.3% of the nation and is part of the three-nation W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (WAP) (of which 43%, 36% and 21% is in Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger respectively).[1][2][3][4]
Forests of particular note are the riparian forests which form a dominant ecosystem, accounting for one-third of the estimated flora of 3,000 species in Benin.[5] These forests are found along river banks consisting of semi-deciduous, dry, and open forest and woodland savanna. However, these systems have been subject to severe misuse by way of deforestation, which necessitated the enforcement of a law, which imposes restrictions on cutting of these forests.[5]
In south Benin, where malaria is a common disease as in the rest of Africa, medicinal plants are used for treatment as a form of traditional or alternative medicine.[6]
- ^ "Enhancing the effectiveness and catalyzing the sustainability of the W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) protected area system" (pdf). Global Environment Facility. pp. 9–19. Retrieved 2 April 2011.
- ^ Butler, Stuart (1 April 2006). Benin: The Bradt Travel Guide. Bradt Travel Guides. pp. 3–16. ISBN 978-1-84162-148-7. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
- ^ "Benin Wildlife". Overlandingafrica.com. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
- ^ "Improving Governance of Natural Resources in the Periphery of National Park W in Benin". iucn.org. Retrieved 31 March 2011.
- ^ a b "Riparian forests and biodiversity conservation in Benin (West Africa)". Fao.org. Retrieved 1 April 2011.
- ^ Hermans, M.; Akoègninou, A.; Van Der Maesen, L. J. G. (2004). "Medicinal Plants Used to Treat Malaria in Southern Benin". Economic Botany. 58. Economic Botany: New York Botanical Garden Press: S239–S252. doi:10.1663/0013-0001(2004)58[S239:MPUTTM]2.0.CO;2. JSTOR 4256921.