Senegal is technically considered a Sub-Saharan African country, but in reality the Saharan desert is creeping further and further in. One of the greatest differences two volunteers can have is region: the north is desert, like neighboring countries Mali and Mauritania, whereas the south is vegetative, especially during the rainy season, like Guinea and Guinea-Bissau.
Despite the disparity, Senegal is considered a tropical climate. It varies between hot and humid in the dry season and hot and damp in the rainy season. It is generally flat, although the south-east region of Kedougou has more mountains and rolling hills than the rest of the country.
| Kedougou during the dry season. |
A fun fact about Senegal's geography is that there is another country completely submerged within our borders. Whereas Senegal was claimed by the French during colonization, the British claimed the Gambian river and surrounding land. The Gambia is now the smallest country on the African continent and it's total land mass is about the same as Jamaica. Although Senegal and the Gambia are two separate countries, the main differences between them tie into their colonial roots (i.e. French is a major language is Senegal, whereas English is taught in the Gambia); aside from this the culture and topography of the Gambia are very similar to southern Senegal.
There are several different climates within Senegal, and therefore different issues in each area. Agriculture volunteers in the north are battling deforestation and desertification. This means there are less trees, making it easier for the encroaching Sahara Desert to extend it's limbs. You might be asking, How do you just lose trees and vegetation? People fell the trees in order to build, overgrazing animals is a problem, and slash and burn farming is also prevalent. The soil is also very poor in the north (topsoil is non-existent), making farming extremely difficult.
Senegal has a large delta region as well. This area is plagued by water salinity issues. To help alleviate this PCVs have been planting mangroves, which not only helps absorb some of the salt in the water but attracts mussels that can be used for nutrition and commerce. The downside, however, is that mangroves take about 15 years to reach full maturity.
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| mangrove seeds at a reforestation project. |
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| Mangroves in Toubacouta. |
Southern Senegal is extremely luscious in the rainy season, and it does not take much for plants to grow from July to October. During the dry season, however, the rivers dry up and it takes a lot of watering to keep plants alive.A big question I get from friends and family at home with The Lion King on the brain is, What is the wildlife like? Sorry to disappoint, but Senegal's wildlife is pretty sparse. We have an abundance of lizards and salamanders throughout the country, with a spattering of monkeys and baboons in the south and seemingly unlimited camels in the north. I've been told there are hippos in Kedougou, but no one I know has ever seen one. They do live in the Gambian River. Senegal is actually known as "a bird country," which means we have lot's of beautiful birds. At one point Senegal had just as an abundant of a wildlife population, but since then poaching and desertification have taken their toll. There are several animal reserves throughout the country, including a safari in the north-west, and a lion reserve near the delta, but they are used more as tourist attractions than natural habitats.
I hope that's a good introduction to Senegal! Feel free to ask any questions at all. You can ask through Mrs. Boeri Boyce or email me directly at kimberly.a.boland@gmail.com.
JAM TAN! (Peace Only),
Kim
