Luxuriant nature and its protected species

Benin has a diverse wildlife resource, including flora and fauna, which is primarily protected in its two contiguous protected areas, the Pendjari National Park and the W National Park. The former is known for its many species of avifauna, while the latter is known for its abundance of mammals and predators. Furthermore, the country has many other forest reserves that are not easily accessible, well protected, or adequately surveyed for their wildlife resources. Benin's protected area system, known as the National Protected Area System, is located in northern Benin, primarily in areas with a woody savanna ecosystem. It occupies 10.3% of the national territory and is part of the three-nation transboundary W-Arly-Pendjari (WAP) complex (with 43% in Benin, 36% in Burkina Faso, and 21% in Niger).

Riparian forests are of particular interest because they form a dominant ecosystem, accounting for 13% of Benin's estimated flora of 3,000 species. These forests, which include semi-deciduous, dry, open forests, and woodland savanna, are found along river banks. However, these systems have been severely abused through deforestation, necessitating the implementation of a law restricting the cutting of these forests.

In south Benin, where malaria is a common disease as in the rest of Africa, medicinal plants are used for treatment as an alternative to allopathic medicine