Visiting

Book Review

Agnès Giannotti's book about birds in Benin A short review by Caroline Caddick

Oiseaux d’Afrique les plus belles histoires is written by Agnès Giannotti, a general practitioner in Paris who spends part of each year in a fishing village in Benin on the banks of the Niger. She is a keen wildlife photographer and the book evolved from her growing interest in the birds she was photographing and the local folklore relating to them. Agnès believes that in order to conserve the natural world, it is very important to understand the spiritual and historical significance of each species to the local people.

The introduction describes the region from an ecological viewpoint, as well as the people who live there and their belief that the world consists of the visible and the invisible: each tree, animal, utensil is in touch with a parallel world which is very real to these people in their everyday lives. The story of the God of Thunder, who visited the earth to help the Goddess of Water who was under attack illustrates the importance of this. In local folklore, the God of Thunder was only able to return to the heavens after finding and emulating the calls of the Cranes. As a result of this story, the local people are strictly forbidden to kill Cranes. These stories are evocative of fables of La Fontaine and Aesop.

This beautiful book, abundantly illustrated with Agnès’ own photos, evoke a people and a landscape which are evidently very close to her heart.

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Black Crake Amaurornis flavirostra

Malanville, north Benin
Sudan-Guinea Savanna

Photo: Agnès Giannotti

Birding tours

There are no birding tours at present to Benin.

Trip reports

A small number of reports have been submitted in recent years in order to facilitate the drawing up of a full list.

Guides

There are no known birding guides known in Benin. However, independent birders may well be able to obtain the services of off-duty forest rangers for local trips. Maarten van den Akker notes that there are several local guides at the Niaouli Forest.

Logistics

Independent birders can fly into Cotonou from Paris with Air France. There are also a number of cheap charters originating in France. Alternatively BA to Lagos and overland from there to Cotonou is a possibility. There is a train from Cotonou to Parakou but this is slow (up to 13 hours) and it is best to use the local taxis. These can be negotiated and for two people would be quite cheap. An alternative is to wait and share and pay less. A typcial trip to Parakou with hire car should cost around US$50, and to Grand Popo probably around US$20. The local currency is the CFA Franc at c550/Euro.

Safety

Safety and health issues are no different from those in many African countries. Guidebooks, travel companies and websites provide much of the advice one needs, but key points warrant repetition here: (1) be aware of the risk of malaria and seek current advice, sleep in a sealed tent or under a net and take prophylaxis as recommended; (2) always ensure you have sufficient water and some method of purification (even if this comprises a pot and a campfire for boiling); (3) do not underestimate the danger of being in the sun for too long, ensure you use sun-block, drink plenty of water and wear a hat; (4) be aware of the risk of AIDS; (5) ensure that you take a reasonably-equipped first-aid pack with you including supplies of hypodermic and suturing needles. See the following 2 websites for the latest safety and travel information: US Travel and UK FCO.

Last page update 1st October 2009

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