$23.5 million funding pledge aims to protect critical West African national park

Benin’s Pendjari National Park, one of West Africa’s largest remaining strongholds for the elephant and the critically endangered West African lion, has now received a major funding boost. Four groups — the U.S.-based National Geographic Society and Wyss Foundation, South Africa-based African Parks, and the government of Benin — announced on Jan. 31 a combined commitment of more than $23 million to secure and restore the Pendjari National Park. This partnership hopes to “revitalize Pendjari’s extraordinary landscape through increased operational effectiveness, scientific research, innovative technology and visually compelling storytelling,” according to a press release from African Parks. “Today’s announcement is a testament to the power of partnerships,” Gary E. Knell, president and CEO of the National Geographic Society, said in the statement. “Combining forces with African Parks, the Wyss Foundation and the government of Benin, we are capitalizing on the unique capabilities of each organization — including on-the-ground management, cutting-edge science and exploration and storytelling prowess — to create an unprecedented model for conservation.” Pendjari National Park in Benin is one of the largest remaining strongholds for elephants in West Africa. Photo by Jonas Vande Voorde/African Parks/National Geographic Society. The Pendjari National Park, covering an area of 2,755 square kilometers (1,063 square miles), is part of the WAP complex (comprising the W, Arly and Pendjari national parks), a large expanse of relatively intact savanna that straddles Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. The park is home to some of Africa’s rarest mammals, including the critically endangered West African lion (Panthera leo senegalensis) and…

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