By Dr Sarah Venter

Sylvatica BioProtect tested on baobab trees in Mapungubwe National Park

Elephant activity is causing substantial baobab mortality in Mapungubwe National Park. Between 2022 and 2026, elephants killed more than 50 baobabs, representing an estimated 10% of the park’s baobab population. In 2022 the Baobab Foundation did a study found that wrapping baobab trunks in wire mesh was an effective method of protecting the trees from elephant damage. However, because of [...] Continue Reading
By Nina Geraghty

Mapping baobabs from space

The Baobab Foundation is committed to supporting the next generation of baobab researchers. One of those students is Chafika Phiri from the University of Exeter, who is exploring an exciting question: can satellite images and machine learning—often called AI—help us map baobab trees across vast landscapes? The challenge is greater than it may seem. Tree size matters, because small baobabs [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Mmadinotshi, the biggest baobab in the world

Mmadinotshi is the biggest measured baobab in the world. The Mmadinotshi baobab is situated in the northeastern part of Botswana in the protected area of the Okavango Delta. On the 23rd of July 2026 it size measurments were taken by Dr Sarah Venter and Jacobus Brummer with the help of four setswana trackers, Orateng Matamo (Dennis), Kenneth Mate, Fraye Karunga, [...] Continue Reading
By Sarah Venter

Weaver nests in baobabs

Every year I do an annual fruit count on 70 trees across the communal lands in north Limpopo province close the Pafrui area.  I always enjoy doing our annual fruit count as it gets me out to the trees and I often find interesting new things.  The usual weavers that use baobabs as nesting trees are Red-billed Buffalo Weavers which [...] Continue Reading
By Sarah Venter

Next batch of baobabs growing well for rewilding

This year our April 2026 baobab growth measurements of trees in Mabvete village showed promising results.  Many trees have passed the 2.5 meter mark and may be ready for rewilding in November 2026. Many of the number tags on the trees had faded or broken off, so we replaced all of them. Rainfall since October 2025 has been exceptionally high [...] Continue Reading
By Sarah Venter

Rewilding baobabs and learning as we go…

In 2024 we planted 50 baobab trees into the wild at Nthakeni Camp.  We chose this place as it has very few antelope and no domestic animals, such as goats and donkeys, that like to eat baobab seedlings. The trees were planted in a variety of habitats such as closed forests, open woodlands and grasslands.  We do not interfere with [...] Continue Reading
By Sarah Venter

Planning to plant baobabs in Giyani

Mr Ramaano lives in Giyani and is passionate about baobab trees. He has established a Foundation that aims to plant baobab trees around South Africa.  In 2024 his Foundation donated 10 trees to the University of Venda and in 2025 he donated 14 trees to Mopani District and 10 trees to the University of Limpopo. Mr Ramaano’s Foundation is planning [...] Continue Reading
By Sarah Venter

Baobabs in Oman and the Mango-stem borer (Batocera rufomaculata)

In 2021, an adult tree in Wadi Hinna, a semi-arid valley in the country’s Dhofar Mountains, collapsed and died.  In May 2024 Mr Ali Akaak in Oman sent an urgent message to Dr Venter asking her to visit and see the destruction.  One year later, in May 2025, she flew to Oman to see what it was all about.   [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Baobab Wilding at Mabvete Village

After 2 years of growing baobabs for transplanting into the wild we planted out 30 young trees.  In January 2023 baobab growers in Mabvete village received baobab seedlings to grow. They were to plant the trees in the ground in their homesteads, water them, look after them and protect them from goats until they reached a hight of at least [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

After good rain wild Planted baobabs need to survive overgrowth

Wild planted baobab trees at Nthakeni were assessed with the help of Nathan Clemes and Amber Numamoto from Unrooted in the UK.  We found that the high rainfall had caused a lot of vegetation growth around the seedlings which were suffocating the plants.  The plants were left as they were so that we can learn how young seedlings grow and [...] Continue Reading