Togo Wildlife and Economy

Animals and Plants

What is growing in Togo?

Togo is narrow, but just as long as the Ivory Coast or Ghana. Very different landscapes extend over this length. Mangroves and coconut palms grow on the coast in the south. In the savannah in the north, grasses and scattered shrubs and trees grow. This includes the baobab tree. Trees also grow on the slopes of the Togo Mountains. Where there is still rainforest, there are precious woods such as mahogany or teak.

Which animals live in Togo?

Typical animals such as antelopes, elephants, hippos, rhinos and giraffes live in the savannah. The predators include hyenas, leopards, caracals and servals, but also Gambian mongooses and the zorilla (a marten).

There are many species of monkeys in Togo. They include the hussar monkey, the anubis baboon and the potto, which belongs to the loris. Rodents such as the porcupine, grasscutter, oil palm squirrel and many species of mouse are just as common. Hares, bats, and pangolins (like the white-bellied pangolin) are also native.

Because nature has been overexploited, three national parks have now been set up. Animal species that have become rare live there, including rhinos. A total of 169 species of mammals have been counted in Togo. For more articles on Togo and Africa, please visit commit4fitness.

The African manatee, a species of manatee, and some whales, such as the minke whale and the Borneo dolphin, live in the Atlantic off Togo’s coast. In the mountains, on the other hand, the hyrax feels at home.

Togo’s wildlife also includes lizards, geckos, snakes and turtles. Among the birds, weaver birds, cranes and the marabou are the most common. Ibises, herons and kingfishers as well as hornbills live in the south.

Economy

Togo’s economy

Togo is an agricultural country. So the most important thing for the economy is agriculture. The port of Lomé plays an important role in foreign trade. Almost two million tons of goods are handled here every year, i.e. either brought into the country (import) or sold abroad (export). Goods from or for Mali, Niger or Burkina Faso are also shipped here.

Togo is one of the poorer countries in the world. The via is measured Human Development Index of the United Nations. This index measures the prosperity, i.e. the wealth of the countries, worldwide. Togo is in 167th place out of 189 countries (2018).

Yams and more

29 percent of the income comes from agriculture, two thirds of the working population is active in agriculture. Traditionally, arable land is created by slash and burn and then only one variety is grown (monoculture). But this promotes erosion and leaching of the soil.

Yams, which is a staple food, are grown to a large extent. Also, cassava, maize and millet are also included. Bananas, mangoes, papayas, pineapples, limes, oranges, grapefruits and mandarins can also be found everywhere. Coffee, cocoa and cotton are also grown, but not for personal use, but for sale abroad.

Camels and water buffalo are kept as livestock. There are cattle mainly in the north of the country. Sheep, goats and pigs are also raised. Chickens are kept across the country.

What can you do?

Because phosphates in detergents are not good for the environment, they should be avoided if possible. The phosphates get into the rivers and seas with the sewage. Plants living in the water then grow much too strong. This creates far too many algae. They lead to a lack of oxygen and then animals and plants die. Phosphate-free detergents have been around since 1986. In the EU, phosphates have been banned in detergents since 2013 and in dishwashing detergents since 2017.

Phosphate from Togo

Only 21 percent of the revenue comes from industry. Most economically, phosphate was and is for Togo. Togo has one of the largest deposits of phosphate. However, the proportion is decreasing and other countries like Saudi Arabia have become larger exports. Phosphate is mainly used for fertilizers, but it is also used as an additive for detergents (for softening) and in food.

Iron, manganese, limestone and marble are other mineral resources. Steel and cement are made. Sugar is refined in the food industry. They make palm oil and peanut oil and roast coffee.