By Dr Sarah Venter

The secret life of baobabs: how bats and moths keep Africa’s giant trees alive

After 5 years of research and travelling to many African countries I and my collegues have stared to untangle the mystery of how baobab flowers are pollinated. A research article published in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society was recently summarised and posted in The Conversation. Please read all about it here. My research is supported by Milbon Pty [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Bats and moths have shaped baobab flowers across Africa

The baobab tree is found widely distributed across the African continent.  It has provided food to people for thousands of years, have become an integral part of many local economies where baobab fruit and derivatives are sold in local and global markets.  As a result tens of thousands of people in Africa depend on the income they get from baobab [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Glender Kwilimba does honors project on baobab planting program

Glender Kwilimba is an honors student at the University of Venda.  Her honors project is to assess the success of the Baobab Guardians project.  The Baobab Foundation has sponsored her field work which she conducted in May 2025.  Dr Sarah Venter will be co-supervising her project with Prof. Swanepoel from the University of Venda.  Glender interviewed 57 Baobab Guardians and [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Climate change and baobabs: what’s the real story?

As global temperatures continue to rise millions of life-forms around the globe are under threat. Plants and animals differ in their ability to cope with variable climate conditions with many being sensitive to the slightest change and thus may be the first to die.  In contrast, baobabs are well adapted to changes in temperature and rainfall as can be seen [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Do bees pollinate nocturnal baobab flowers?

Pabalelo Phori (MSc candidate) investigates the role of bees and other insects visiting baobab flowers. The buzzing of bees around baobab flowers in the early morning is a common sight and although bees are an important pollinator of many species, do they actually play a role in pollinating baobab flowers?  This is the important question that Pabalelo will be investigating [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Do baobab trees matter?

Liam Taylor (MSc candidate) investigates the ecological consequences of elephant-induced tree mortality on bird communities. Liam Taylor is an all-round naturalist, who takes identification of everything he sees seriously.  From insects to reptiles and mammals to trees, but his passion is birds.  He is one of those birders who the moment a bird tweets or flies past everything else is [...] Continue Reading
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

These people mean BIZness, Bio Innovation Zimbabwe
By Elthea Schlesinger

Baobab health assessment training in Zim

Dr Sarah Venter recently trained a group of ecologists on doing tree health assessments in Zimbabwe. “We were looking at various aspects of baobab health that include the impact of elephants on baobab trees, bark harvesting and diseases.  This work took us all around Zimbabwe including the Hwange National Park, where the assessment team measured over 900 baobabs” she says. […] Continue Reading