sentences:  Initially known as forest reserve, it was declared a National Park on May 6, 1961 after the independence of Benin.In June 1986, it was classified as a MAB Biosphere Reserve (including the adjoining hunting zones of Pendjari and Atacora) and in February 2007, the Pendjari River Valley was recognized as a Ramsar Site of wetland importance.The park is part of the W-Arli-Pendjari complex (WAP), which is a vast protected area in Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger.