The huge baobabs of the African savannah are one of the most iconic and enduring features you may come across on your southern African safari. Until now.
Recent findings seem to suggest that these goliaths’ days are numbered.
The End of an Era
In 2010, Zimbabwe’s largest baobab, Panke, died under mysterious circumstances. One by one, its branches toppled over, leading to the demise of this giant which had been a feature of the landscape for over 2,400 years.
Over this extended period, the tree had achieved sacred status among the Zimbabwean people and was a matter of considerable pride among the population.
Apart from sentimental or spiritual significance, the local folk have found over 300 uses for this plant.
- The leaves of the baobab tree are extremely rich in iron and are boiled and eaten like spinach.
- The seeds can be roasted to make a type of coffee or pressed to make oil for cooking and cosmetics.
- The pulp of the fruit is 6 times richer in vitamin C than oranges. This pulp is exported all over Europe, the USA, and Canada, as a nutritional supplement.
Since the end of Panke’s reign another 9 of the oldest and 6 of the largest baobabs in Africa have followed suit. This has sparked an international inquiry as to why this is happening.
Why are They Dying?
The obvious conclusion to be drawn from these deaths is old age, but that doesn’t explain why relatively young trees were perishing too. The next suspect was an epidemic of sorts, but researchers could find nothing to support this.
Baobabs do sometimes die of natural causes, usually during times of prolonged drought. This indicates that they are sensitive to weather patterns.
The only conclusion that can be drawn is that the baobabs of Africa are dying from climate change and have been since 2005. This is when scientists set about using radiocarbon-dating these trees to determine the age of some of the largest specimens.
The key to the longevity of the baobab is its unique architecture. Instead of shooting out new branches, like other trees, baobabs grow new stems. This creates a central cavity surrounded by stems, which often fuse to create a single trunk.
During this procedure it was discovered that these ancient baobabs had stopped growing. A process which has only one outcome for trees – death.
What Can be Done?
The simple answer is ‘nothing’ – unless climate change can be reversed. It seems the ages of Africa’s giant baobabs are coming to an end. It is hoped that later crops of baobabs may be adjusting to their new environment, but we won’t know for thousands of years if they will succeed.
If you want to see one of these giants in all their glory before it’s too late, get in touch to book a southern African safari.
