Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger

W-Arly-Pendjari Complex

WHS Score 1.94
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Votes for W-Arly-Pendjari Complex

1.5

  • Thomas Buechler

2.0

  • marcel staron
  • Solivagant

2.5

  • Ask Gudmundsen

3.0

  • Christravelblog
  • Stanislaw Warwas
  • Szucs Tamas
W-Arly-Pendjari Complex by Solivagant
W-Arly-Pendjari Complex by Solivagant 1

The W-Arly-Pendjari Complex comprises a savanna landscape recognized for its biodiversity of birds, fish and plants.

These three contiguous parks are located within the Volta River basin at a transition zone between savannah and woodlands, with both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The area is a refuge for species that have mostly disappeared from the rest of West Africa, such as elephants, wild dogs, lion, leopard, cheetah and manatee.

Community Perspective: you won’t find wildlife in the innumerable quantities of the East African parks, but at least in visible herds. The facilities suffer from underinvestment and the border area with and in Burkina Faso is considered unsafe. Tamas made an adventurous approach to the part in Niger (Park ‘W’) as did Michael, while Solivagant and Chris focused on Pendjari in Benin.

Site Info

Official Information
Full Name
W-Arly-Pendjari Complex (ID: 749)
Countries
Benin Burkina Faso Niger
Status
Inscribed 1996 Site history
History of W-Arly-Pendjari Complex
2021: Advisory Body overruled
IUCN proposed in Danger listing due to increasing insecurity "leading to an increase in illegal activities (poaching, transhumance, gold panning)". Opposed by amendment lead by South Africa.
2017: Extended
To extend into Burkina Faso and Benin
2017: Name change
From "W" National Park of Niger
2011: Deferred
As Parc National de la Pendjari: to resubmit as an extension of W National Park of Niger
1996: Advisory Body overruled
IUCN proposed rejection
1996: Inscribed
Inscribed
Type
Natural
Criteria
  • ix
  • x
Links
UNESCO
whc.unesco.org
Official
All Links
UNESCO.org
Official Website
News Article
  • 31 Jul 2024 abcnews.go.com — 12 park rangers and soldiers killed at W National Park in Benin
  • 11 Jun 2024 reuters.com — Seven soldiers killed in Pendjari NP
  • 14 Sep 2023 theconversation.com — Jihadist groups threaten the conservation of a key west African world heritage site
  • 20 Feb 2022 aljazeera.com — Five rangers, one soldier killed in Benin park ambush
  • 14 Jan 2021 whc.unesco.org — Norway supports animal surveillance in Pendjari and W National Parks
  • 10 Dec 2020 whc.unesco.org — UNESCO condemns armed attack on Niger's W natural park
  • 14 Sep 2020 washingtonpost.com — Burkina Faso’s wildlife reserves have become a battle zone, overrun by militants and poachers
  • 12 Jul 2020 afrik21.africa — African Parks takes over Beninese part of the W National Park
  • 10 May 2019 france24.com — French army rescues four hostages in Sahel after kidnap from Pendjari NP
  • 1 Feb 2018 african-parks.org — National Geographic Joins Forces with African Parks, the Republic of Benin and the Wyss Foundation to Protect Critical West African Ecosystem

Community Information

  • Community Category
  • Wildlife habitat: Fauna
Travel Information
Transboundary sites
Transboundary sites
3 countries (Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso)
Red Zone Travel Advisory
Red Zone Travel Advisory

Niger fully off-limits, as are the parts the park lies in in Benin and …

Recent Connections
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Connections of W-Arly-Pendjari Complex
Geography
  • Sahel
  • Volta Basin
    "Stretching across three countries, W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is the largest and most important continuum of terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic ecosystems in the West African savanna belt. Situated within the Volta River basin it comprises a dynamic system, where the ebb and flow of water with alternating wet and dry seasons creates a rich variety of plant communities and associated fauna." (UNESCO Desc)
  • Niger Basin
    Although the majority of the complex is stated by UNESCO to drain southwards into the Volta via the Pendjari (with no mention of the Niger river!) the areas within the "W" NP in the NE (Benin, Burkina Faso & Niger) drain, mmainly via the Alibori and Mekrou, into the Niger river which flows through a part of those parks
  • On National Border
    On Benin and Burkina Faso border
History
  • Neolithic age
    "The site reflects the interaction between natural resources and humans since Neolithic times." (AB ev)
Ecology
  • Turtles and tortoises
    African spurred tortoise, African softshelled turtle
  • Elephants
    "The park provides a home for some of West Africa's last wild African Elephants." (Wiki)
  • Crocodiles
    Nile crocodile
  • Over 300 bird species
    "The park also hosts over 460 bird species" (see link)

    See www.africanparks.org

  • Ratites
    common ostrich
  • Strepsirrhini
    Senegal bushbaby
  • Siraneans
    West African manatee "others (species) have made a come-back (..... manatees)" AB.
  • Bovines
    West African savanna buffalo
  • Critically endangered fauna species
    Saharan cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus hecki)

    See en.wikipedia.org

  • Bird Migrations
    The Park has wetlands that lie under a major Palaeoarctic-Afrotropical flyway and between February and May over 20,000 aquatic birds congregate there. (UNEP-WCMC)
  • Fish
    Crit X: The site exhibits particularly high levels of endemism among fish species and is home to seven of the nine endemic fish species reported in the Volta Basin.
  • Lions
    Pendjari NP: 70-100

    See lionrecoveryfund.org

  • Hippos
    Pendjari National Park: Mammal species found here include .. hippo. (see link)

    See www.africanparks.org

  • African Wild Dog
    "providing crucial habitat for most of the large mammal species typical of West Africa, such as ...... African Wild Dog" (AB eval)
  • Savanna
    "W-Arly-Pendjari Complex is the largest and most important continuum of terrestrial, semi-aquatic and aquatic ecosystems in the West African savanna belt" (OUV)
Damaged
  • Rangers killed by poachers
    On April 27, 2021 3 foreigners accompanying an anti-poaching patrol in Arly NP in Burkina Faso were killed

    See whc.unesco.org

  • Poaching
    Poaching (hunting and fishing) is present in the property – over the recent years it seems to stabilize a little, although with regional insecurity, there is reason to fear a recovery
World Heritage Process
  • Controversial at inscription
    IUCN was against inclusion, also controversy about advocacy by the representative from Niger on a site in his own country. Of the 19 members, 4 finally voted against (Australia, Canada, Germany and the United States of America), not enough to prevent a 2/3 majority.
  • Transboundary sites
    3 countries (Niger, Benin, Burkina Faso)
  • Extended
    2017: To extend into Burkina Faso and Benin
  • Country gained extra WHS by an extension
    Originally "W" National Park of Niger. Extended in 2017 to Burkina Faso, Benin
Human Activity
WHS on Other Lists
  • World Biosphere Reserves
    Complex W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) Biosphere Reserve (2020) (formerly 'W' Region (established 1996 in Niger; extension to Benin and Burkina Faso in 2002); Arly (2018))
  • Ramsar Wetlands
    Parc national du "W" (1987), Zone Humide de la Rivière Pendjari (2007), Parc National d'Arly (2009), Complexe transfrontalier W-Arly-Pendjari (2018)

    See rsis.ramsar.org

Visiting conditions
WHS Names
News
abcnews.go.com 31/07/2024
12 park rangers and soldiers kille…
reuters.com 11/06/2024
Seven soldiers killed in Pendjari …
theconversation.com 14/09/2023
Jihadist groups threaten the conse…

Community Reviews