A resident dances with a snake during a ceremony for the guardian of the night Zangbeto a traditional voodoo of the Yoruba religion, in the village of Alongo on May 14, 2018. The Zangbeto -- the traditional voodoo guardian of the night -- once policed the streets to maintain law and order and scare away its enemies. But the revered deity, which is still feared and rules on village disputes, is now working to protect the rich mangrove ecosystem from threats from humankind. The mangrove in the delta acts as a spawning ground for fish and crustacea but is at risk from over-fishing and the hunt for firewood. Between 1995 and 2005, the maze of forest has shrunk from 13,000 to 9,000 hectares (32,000 to 22,000 acres). / AFP PHOTO / YANICK FOLLY