Where’s the dancer? A well-covered dancer in a traditional costume in Benin. Photo by: Nancy Butler.
Benin is a small country on the west coast of Africa. It achieved independence from France in 1960 and democracy in 1989.
Rapid population growth has put considerable pressures on Benin’s natural resources, including forests. Between 1990 and 2005, 29 percent of Benin’s forests were cut. Poaching is also a major issue. To date, 755 species have been cataloged in the country, including well-known animals like lions, hippos, cheetah, leopard, African buffalo, and some of the last populations of wild African elephants in the western part of the continent.
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