African Animals

Benin has the reserves of Pendjari and W, which extend over 1,919,190 acres in the north-west of the country. However, avoid the Pendjari, whose animal population is reduced to almost nothing. Enthusiasts of large animals are more likely to go to the W reserve. There are numerous species of antelopes there, often in herds, and also: the roan antelope, one of the largest in Africa, the hartebeest, the bleesbok, the Buffon's kob, and the Waterbuck. It is relatively easy to observe other mammals, such as the monkeys (baboon, vervet, patas), the wart hogs, the buffaloes, the hippopotami... More difficult to see are the lions, elephants and cheetahs that also live here. With more than 280 species of birds classified here, these protected spaces offer considerable ornithological diversity. The best period to come and admire this wild fauna is before the rains, between March and April.