Some of Africa's largest and oldest baobab trees appear to be dying off at an alarming rate, according to a new study. Aged between 1,100 and 2,500 years, researchers suspect climate change as a cause.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Genin
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Some of Africa's prized baobab trees appear to be abruptly dying, researchers warned on Monday.
Teams of environmental researchers from Romania, South Africa and the United States reported that nine of the 13 oldest baobabs they were studying had either died altogether, or that at least some of their oldest parts and stems had collapsed and died.
Among the nine affected trees were four of Africa's largest baobabs. All the dead trees were located in the south of the continent — Zimbabwe, Namibia, South Africa, Botswana, and Zambia.
According to a paper published in the Nature Plants journal, the researchers had investigated and dated "practically all known very large and potentially old" baobabs between 2005 and 2017, only to then unexpectedly note that almost all of the very oldest and largest trees had died during that period.
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The study's co-author, Adrian Patrut of Romania's Babes-Bolyai University, described the findings as "an event of an unprecedented magnitude."
He continued: "It is definitely shocking and dramatic to experience during our lifetime the demise of so many trees with millennial ages."
By far oldest tree researchers probed, the 2,500-year-old Panke tree in Zimbabwe, saw all its stems collapse between 2010 and 2011. Meanwhile, arguably the most famous baobab, the 1,400-year-old Chapman in Botswana, which bears the carved initials of explorer David Livingstone, saw all its six stems topple at once in January 2016.
Sudden deaths likely caused by climate change
While the reasons behind the trees' sudden and apparently concurrent difficulties remains unclear, the researchers said they suspect the demise "may be associated at least in part with significant modifications of climate conditions that affect southern Africa in particular."
What was clear is that the deaths were not caused by an epidemic, the researchers wrote, with Patrut stressing that "there were no signs of disease."
The baobab is one of the world's largest and longest-living trees and is found naturally in Africa's savanna region.
Known for its visually-striking shape, the baobab resembles an upside-down plant, with its branches looking like tangled roots reaching towards the sky.
According to the Kruger National Park in South Africa, the baobabs can live to be 3,000 years old and can grow to be so large that up to 40 people can shelter inside its hollow trunk. "Various baobabs have been used as a shop, a prison, a house, a storage barn, and a bus shelter," according to the park.
The massive trees also serve as an important store of water, while the fruit it bears feeds animals and humans.
Its leaves, meanwhile, can be boiled and eaten as an accompaniment similar to spinach, or used to make traditional medicines.
The bark, when pounded, can be woven into rope, baskets, cloth and hats.
It's packed with nutrients, antioxidants and vitamin C. Africans have been using the fruit of the baobab tree in food, drinks and medicine for centuries. Now its unique qualities mean demand is growing around the world.
Image: imago/alimdi
High and Dry
The baobab is the only fruit in the world to dry naturally on the branch. After these long velvety yellow pods bake in the sun for about six months, the shells become hard, smooth and brown, with no moisture inside. Baobab harvesters have to climb up the ancient trees and knock the pods down - check out this week's eco@africa show to see how it's done!
Image: picture-alliance/blickwinkel/W. Dolder
'Tree of Life'
The baobab tree is an icon of the African continent. Despite the extremely dry conditions of the African savannah, these trees can grow for thousands of years, storing water in their giant trunks and producing nutrient-rich fruits. They provide not only food but also shelter for animals and humans. No wonder the baobab has become known as the 'Tree of Life'.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/G. Genin
Wild Food
Baobab trees store thousands of liters of water in their trunks to endure harsh conditions. But they need to grow for at least 25 years before they start to produce fruit. The trees do not grow in plantations, but are wild or community owned. With demand for the fruit growing, conservationists are concerned about the impact on the trees and their environments.
Image: picture-alliance/Bibliographis/H. Wilhelmy
Making a Living
In Kenya, harvesting baobab fruit helps people develop a sustainable source of income. The fruit used to only be eaten by people living in rural communities close to the trees. But now it's increasingly being sold in big cities and exported to other countries. The European Union first allowed imports of baobab in 2008 - now, the EU receives about 20 tons of the fruit every year.
Image: DW
Monkey Bread
Once harvested, the hard seed pods have to be cracked open, revealing the chalky dry chunks of fruit inside. It's then pounded into a fine powder that can be easily stirred into food and drinks or used as a thickener. The tangy fruit is also known as monkey bread or bouie, and is revered for its nourishing and curative qualities.
Image: Emmanuelle Landais
Health Benefits
Baobab fruit has around 300 milligrams of vitamin C per 100 grams, five times more than oranges. Healthy and delicious, it makes a popular juice, while its leaves and seeds are also used in cosmetics and food products. It's thought to boost immune function, promote younger-looking skin and keep energy levels high.
Image: DW/E. Landais
Mother of the Forest
Baobab trees strike a stunning sillhouette. This variety is native to Madagascar, a large island nation off the southeast coast of Africa. The country's 'Avenue of the Baobabs' is home to trees which are centuries old, and draws travelers from around the world. In Malagasy, the local language, the trees are known as the 'mother of the forest.'
