Giant Pangolin - Togo

Togoland, a German colony, came into existence in 1884 and remained under German control until the end of World War I; it was then divided between France and Great Britain. Under German administration, Togoland witnessed a rapid development of its infrastructure to levels higher than most other African colonies.

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Phataginus gigantea - The giant pangolin is a ground dwelling animal preferring to venture out during the night in search for insects; mainly ants and termites. The powerful front claws are used for breaking open insect nests as the long sticky tongue laps up the exposed insects. Pangolins are the only mammals covered with scales. The scales are made of keratin, the same substance found in human fingernails and serve as protection against predators. When threatened, pangolins roll into a ball by tucking their head under the tail.

Serval - Togo

Leptailurus serval - The serval is found throughout most of Africa below the Sahara Desert. It is a medium-sized feline measuring between 59 to 92 centimeters. Though not related to the cheetah, the serval has long slender legs and a small head in relation to its body. The serval is one of the more efficient cats in capturing prey and is able to achieve an impressive 50% success rate when hunting. Its diet consists primarily of small reptiles, mammals, fish, frogs, insects, and birds.

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Ewe, an indigenous language of the Gbe group, is spoken by 4 million people in Ghana and Togo. It is a tonal language using pitch to change the meaning of words sounding similar to non-native speakers. Languages use pitch to provide emphasis and emotion, but tonal languages use pitch to turn similar sounds into new words. Tonal languages are common in Africa, East Asia, and Central America. It is estimated 70% of the world’s languages are tonal, with Mandarin having the most speakers.

Jacobin Cuckoo - Schutzgebiet Togo

With the signing of an agreement between Germany and King Mlapa III in 1884, Germany gained and rapidly extended its control over Togo. An intensive infrastructure was built consisting of over 1,200 kilometers of rail and an efficient port facility at Lomé to deliver the colony’s cocoa, coffee, and cotton to world markets.

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Clamator jacobinus - Jacobin cuckoos are year round residents in Central Africa and Southern India while those in Northern India winter in dry and open woodlands of sub-Saharan Africa. It is mostly arboreal, hopping or fluttering between trees and shrubs searching for hairy caterpillars, its preferred food. The body length is 34 centimeters and it weighs 66 to 72 grams; the permanent flocks of Africa are heavier than those residing in India. Like the common cuckoo, the Jacobin is a brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of other birds.