Pendjari National Park

The National Park Pendjari (French: Parc national de la Pendjari ), also Boucle -de- la- Pendjari National Park, was established in 1954 as a Wildlife Reserve ( Réserve de Faune ), 1961 designated as a National Park and in 1986 declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve .. He is in northern Benin, between the Atakora chain and the border with Burkina Faso. It is 275,500 hectares in size and part of the 880,000 -acre biosphere reserve. The National Park is one of the last protected areas in West Africa, which has collections of elephants, cheetahs and lions.

Location

The nearest major town is Natitingou. Other major nature reserves in the immediate vicinity are the National Park Arly and the Réserve partial de Pama, Burkina Faso and the cross-border National Park W, the parts of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger covers. In addition, adjacent to the national park hunting zones, which constitute a buffer zone to the intensively cultivated agricultural areas of the environment.

Vegetation

The Pendjari National Park encompasses numerous habitats of the lowlands of the Pendjari to the mountains of Atakora chain, rivers, standing waters and island mountains. It is covered by forest-savanna, marsh and grasslands. At an altitude of 100 to 500 m of annual rainfall is about 1000 mm.

Fauna

Mammals

The national park is home to the most typical big game species of West African savannas. Emblem of the national park is the cheetah. The cat, however, become rare in the area. In the adjacent W National Park came about the year 2000 estimated about two or three pairs before. In Pendjari National Park and situated in Benin part of the W National Park came in 2007, probably at least 5-13 cheetahs before, the trend is rising. The lion population in Pendjari and the adjacent W National Park covers about 100 animals and is likely the largest in West and Central Africa represent. It is striking that the males of the area almost invariably do not have manes or only very weak manes. The lions of the area to gain additional importance by a recently published study, the West African lion significantly different from those showing that there is in Southern and East Africa.

Also, the African wild dog, which was already considered to be extinct, is still in small numbers available in the park. In addition, the Pendjari National Park is home to other large predators such as leopards, hyenas spot, strip jackals and African civets.

The Pendjari National Park is also home to several hundred African elephants. The population in the park is relatively stable over the last decades and currently stands at about 800 animals (as of 2005-2010 ). The total population in Pendjari and adjacent protected areas, ie the so-called WAP National Park complex, over 3800 elephants. Thus, the area is home to the largest population of elephants in West Africa. Larger herbivores are also represented by West African grass buffalo ( Syncerus caffer brachyceros ), hippos, warthogs and numerous antelope species. Among them are roan antelope, West African hartebeest ( Alcelaphus buselaphus major), korrigum - Lyre antelope ( Damaliscus korrigum lunatus ), Kobantilopen, Oribis and duiker. Rarely are waterbuck, bushbuck, reedbuck and Rotflankenducker. In addition to the Green Baboon, the Tantalus Vervet monkey and patas monkey occur as other primates. A survey, which was conducted in the spring of 2000, came to the conclusion that most species were in decline in the inventory. This seems particularly to apply to the leopard and the korrigum - Topi, both still likely to occur, but could not be confirmed. Only the populations of hartebeest (about 1,500 animals ), roan antelope (about 2,000 animals ) and buffalo (about 2,700 animals) were increased at the time of the census in 2000. The most common species were larger at the time of the census of Green Baboon, the West African buffalo grass and the Kobantilope ( 2600 animals).

The existence of the Defassa waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa ) has dropped from about 3,000 animals in the 1970s to only 120 animals in 2004.

Fish and Reptiles

By Pendjari National Park Pendjari flows, which forms a tributary of the Volta. In addition, several large, Mare called flat waters, which are periodic in part. The fish fauna of the Pendjari National Park was first investigated in 2004 and consists of a total of 41 fish species from 34 genera and 17 families. The most species-rich family are the mormyrids, with 8 species ( 20%), followed by the cichlids (5 species / 12 %), the tetras and the Fiederbartwelsen (4 each species / 10%) and the sting catfish, carp fishing and the Geradsalmlern ( every 3 kinds / 7%). The bichirs are represented by two species ( 5%), the remaining families with one ( 2%). The most commonly caught fish is the African osteoglossid (19 % ), followed by Nilhechten ( 13%), Geradsalmlern and cichlids (approximately 13% ), characins ( 11%), Fiederbartwelsen (10%) and gill sac catfish ( 8%).

Most fish species occur both in the river and in the shallow water. Limited to the stagnant waters are the osteoglossid, African Pike Characin, giant perch and cichlids. Also, most bichirs, mormyrids, carp fish, Geradsalmler, spiked catfish and catfish gills sack prefer standing water. In contrast, slim fish and jitter catfish were found exclusively in the river. The river is also the main habitat of tetras and Fiederbartwelsen. The Großnilhecht and the glass catfish are found in both habitats.

Reptiles are represented for example by crocodiles, pythons and Nile monitors.

Tourism

Every year there are approximately 6500 visitors (2008 ), which are around 70 hunters contrary, the operators within the three adjacent hunting areas for a large part of the income of the park. The total revenue from tourism amounted to 2008 and 2009 to around 220,000 EUR which account for about one -third to two-thirds Photo safaris and hunting tourism. Thus, the tourism covers about a third of all the financial requirements of the park. All other revenue, however, have little impact. Visitors come mainly from the region and are mostly French and Beninese. The share of other nationalities is comparable low.

Threat of poaching

In 2012, the situation in the National Park and the adjacent Jagsschutzgebieten has deteriorated after the retreat of the German development aid. Poachers are said to have slaughtered up to 20 elephants among others.

Research

Various scientific studies are carried out in Pendjari National Park: