By Dr Sarah Venter

Teaching kids about baobabs

Tshokotshoko Primary School A talk on the ecology of baobabs was given at Tshokotshoko Primary School which was attended by the Grade 6 and Grade 7 pupils.  Each pupil was given the Tshivenda version of  “Little Big Baobab Book”. Tshokotshoko Primary School is a small school, situated in a very remote part of Niyani (northern Limpopo) and is surrounded by [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Working with the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT)

Sarah Venter spent a few days in the field with John Davies from the Endangered Wildlife Trust working together on a vulture conservation and tree meshing project along the Western Limpopo River.  The collaborative project will help protect vulnerable bird species such as Pels Fishing Owls and White Backed Vultures and protect the integrity of the riverine forest along the [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Baobabs featuring at the Savanna Science Network Meeting

Steven Khosa (SANParks) and Dr Sarah Venter did an evaluation of meshing baobab trees for the last 12 month period.  The findings were presented at the Savanna Science Network Meeting in Skukuza in the Kruger National Park in April 2025.  The data showed that Elephants were present 97% of the time in areas with meshed trees, compared to 94% in [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

African Baobab Alliance – Global Baobab Congress 2025

Dr Sarah Venter visited Senegal to attend at the African Baobab Alliance Global Baobab Congress 2025 and the Pan African Access and Benefit Sharing Conference.  At both conferences Dr Sarah Venter made presentations about the conservation and management of baobabs across Africa.  Field trips were done to see the baobabs in Senegal and some of the local processing of baobab [...] Continue Reading
By Dr Sarah Venter

Grow your own baobab

Baobabs produce a large fruit which are filled with hard kidney-shaped seeds.  These seeds are “nature-designed” to survive harsh conditions and to germinate at exactly the right time so that the young seedling can grow and survive in the wild.  Our job is to crack that code by mimicking the natural conditions that stimulate germination and allow the seedlings to [...] 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
By Dr Sarah Venter

Green Defenders

The Green Defenders are local community action group headed by Thuso Mukoma of Mukomawabane Village in northern Limpopo. The group solves environmental problems such as erosion and pollution around their village and then get together to take action.  Their activities include tree planting, monitoring illegal harvesting of fuel wood and building gabions.  Their efforts are important to the environment in [...] Continue Reading