Many of you have asked me to detail some of my experiences in Benin, West Africa. I lived in the vicinity of Natitingou, Northern Benin in 2000/2001. My stay was organized by a mission organization to assist the Ottamari tribe with living conditions and facilitate the growth of the tiny Christian group within the tribe.
I definitely enjoyed my stay despite a couple of near-death experiences and it was a very rewarding experience.
Amazingly I lived in a nation where Ball Pythons are native, but it was a year after I returned before I became infatuated with the morphs and captive propagation of them. Experiencing the weather patterns of the area for such a long period has definitely helped me gain a feel for the conditions I try to create working with Ball Pythons now.
Benin is definitely rich in wildlife and unfortunately I do not have pictures of some of the more exotic finds! ~Justin
Update: See more photos in my YouTube video of my time in Benin!
The Ball Street Journal 