By Dr Sarah Venter

Learning from Ratho – how to protect riverine forests

Baobabs are not the only species being destroyed by elephants.  Many species of trees along the Limpopo River are disappearing at an alarming rate.  Ratho, a citrus farm situated west of Pont Drift and opposite the Tuli Block of Botswana took action before it was too late.  They have used electric fencing to protect riverine forests and where the forests [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Another baobab gone – do we need more proof?

Three large baobabs form an avenue on either side of the track leading up to Schroda Dam view in Mapungubwe National Park.  These trees have stood on this hillside for hundreds of years.  Last month one of them died as a result of elephant damage as many other trees in this National Park. Fortunately, the other two trees were meshed [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Equipment for protecting baobabs donated to SANParks

Protecting baobabs from elephants is an ongoing effort.  There are over 600 baobabs on Mapungubwe National Park.  Every few moths a baobab collapses and dies from elephant damage in the park.  Mapungubwe National Park has limited resources and is unable to dedicate equipment solely to the protection of baobabs.  The Baobab Foundation has put together a pamphlet on How-to-mesh-a-baobab, which [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Keeping an eye on Greens Baobab

Greens baobab is a historic tree found in the Magadikgadi area of Botswana.  The intrepid Green brothers were one of the many early traders, hunters and explorers to carve their names here, leaving “Green’s Expedition 1858–1859” scrawled into the tree’s bark and giving the tree its name. Greens tree is found on the Gweta-Orapa track, 27 km south of Gweta.  [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Another 22 baobabs and counting

Baobabs on confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers continue to be vulnerable to the over utilization by elephants.  The only way to effectively protect baobabs from elephants is to wrap them in wire mesh.  In November 2023 the Baobab Foundation wrapped another 22 baobabs in wire mesh.  Over the course of three days another 15 baobabs were protected in [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Let’s save the baobabs

Thanks to donations from Skoon Skincare (South Africa), Dr Jackson Skincare (UK), Lather (USA) and BaoMed (Netherlands) the Baobab Foundation has managed to raise enough funds to protect another fifty baobab trees. In October (2023) Mphadeni Nthangeni (Park Manager), Steven Khosa (SanParks Ecologist), the Honorary Rangers (Mapungubwe Cluster) and Sarah Venter (Baobab Foundation) will be starting this daunting task. There [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Big Bite Tree Collapses (Video 4)

Big Bite Tree Collapses (Video 4) I visited this tree in November 2022 (Video 1 in this series), less than seven months later this tree collapsed and died.  It was a tragic sight and has emphasised the urgent need for the protection of baobabs from elephant damage in this forgotten park.
Elephants causing damage to Baobab tree
By Elthea Schlesinger

Elephants cause damage and death to Mapungubwe baobab trees – what can be done?

Baobabs are a most important feature of Mapungubwe National Park. Management is under mounting pressure from ecologists and the public to find solutions to protect our Baobabs and river-forests of the bordering Limpopo River. Baobabs are part of the historical-cultural landscape at Mapungubwe. They are found on many of the archaeological sites around the park, evidence that they played an […] Continue Reading