Baobab: The mighty and iconic upside-down tree

 The iconic baobabs are trees like no other. A thick trunk rises to support thin branches. They are deciduous, which means during the dry season, their bare branches look like a gnarled root system, and make these trees look as if the tree was growing upside down.

Why are baobabs important? 

The baobab is a key species in an ecosystem. They play a key role in helping to keep soil conditions humid and also promote nutrient recycling. They also prevent soil erosion. And the baobab is an important source of food, water and shelter for various birds, reptiles and insects. 

A mature baobab tree will create its own ecosystem. For example, monkeys and warthogs are fond of fruit and seed pods, birds can make a home in the cavity of the bark or make their nests in the huge branches. Bush babies and fruit bats will drink baobab nectar. And other wildlife like elephants sometimes eat the spongy baobab bark, which provides moisture during times of drought.

After a long walk through the summer’s heat, this tree will be your best friend. You find shade and a drink – as the cavities in the tree act as reservoirs for rainwater. The seeds within the fruit from the tree can also be sucked to relieve thirst. And who knows, if you stop for a drink, you might even get lucky and spot something exciting. 

Where can you see baobab trees?

There are nine different species of baobab trees. One is from Australia, six from Madagascar and two species are native to mainland Africa. All these species are situated in low-lying, arid regions. 

In Africa, you find baobabs growing above hot, dry shrublands. In Madagascar, baobabs are pioneers of the dry deciduous forests in the western side of the island. In Australia, they live in open savanna woodlands. All these regions go through a short wet season and long, hot, dry season. Most trees would not survive in these conditions, but baobabs can grow.

What beliefs exist about baobabs?

The baobab is surrounded by many superstitions. Here are some of my favorites:

• Many cultures believe that an evil spirit lives in the tree’s white flowers. If anyone plucks these white flowers, the evil spirit will cause a lion to them.
• In Zambian culture, women are not allowed to eat baobab fruit during the beer-brewing process, as it is believed that this will cause the beer to go bad.
• Baobabs are considered to be a fertility tree.
• For the East African people, it is believed that Resa, the lord of rain, stays in the top branches of an enormous baobab in order to support the sky.
• And my favorite is a Bushman legend. In the beginning, the creator decided to hand out seeds and plants to the animals of the world for them to cultivate. The baobab was issued to the hyena, but because she was upset about being last in the queue, she decided to plant it upside-down.

Nutritional uses of baobab: 

• People can eat almost each part of this tree, including roots and small sprouts. 
• The baobab’s fruit has a citrus flavour and is enjoyed by monkeys and humans. 
• The leaves can be boiled and used as spinach, and even the flowers are edible. 
• You can mix water and powdered fruit pulp to create a refreshing drink. Some people snack on roasted seeds or use them to brew a coffee-like drink. The pulp can be used in juices to add flavor. The pulp is rich in vitamin C – about 10 times that of oranges
• Baobab seed powder is sprinkled on food for added nutrients and as a natural preservative.

Medicinal uses of baobab: 

• Traditional beliefs said the baobab have been used to treat almost any disease including malaria, tuberculosis, fever, microbial infections and dysentery. 
• The leaves and fruit pulp can be used to stimulate the immune system and fight against fever. 
• It is said to have a lot of healing properties : antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, antidiarrheal and antiviral. 
• The leaves can also be useful for treating anaemia and asthma.

Others uses of baobab: 

• The hollow bark of the baobab tree can provide homes for a lot of animals like reptiles, insects and birds. Foliage sometimes can be eaten as fodder for livestock.  
• The bark is harvested extensively for its fibrous qualities. Strips can be rolled into a tough yarn and used in many different ways such as sacks, fishing nets and also clothes. 
• Bushmen also used the bark to create traps.
• The twine is also used occasionally for the strings of musical instruments. Its wood is used for fuel and timber. 

The landowners of The Sunland Baobab decided to build a pub inside the hollow centre of this tree. It was around to be 22 metres tall and 47 metres in girth. The landowners decided to close the pub to prevent soil erosion around the tree and The Sunland Baobab unfortunately died in 2017.

Are they protected or endangered? 

In 1941, the baobab was included in the list of protected trees by the Forest Act in South Africa. However, the six Madagascar baobab species are both on the IUCN Red List, three as endangered and three as near threatened. The African and Australian species are not assessed but may become a problem without surveillance.

Global climate change may be playing a role in the loss of these trees. A rapid increase in baobab deaths in southern Africa have been noted. Of the world’s 13 largest baobabs, 9 have collapsed and died. For such ancient trees, their death and breakdown is remarkably rapid. Baobab trees simply crumple into a pile of papery fibre when they die. If a hot fire passes through, it would probably remove any evidence of the tree’s existence. This devastating loss reminds us of the impact of climate change on biodiversity.

Rock Hyrax

 Rock hyrax (Procavia capensis): a medium-sized terrestrial mammal native to Africa and the Middle East.

There are three members of the Procaviidae or hyrax family: the rock hyrax, tree hyrax, and bush or yellow-spotted hyrax.

Size and Weight:

Hyraxes measure 12 to 23 inches in length and measure 8 to 12 inches in height, at the shoulder. They weigh 4 to 13 pounds.

Appearance:

While the rock hyrax looks like a large guinea pig or a rabbit with rounded, short ears and no tail, it is neither. The rock hyrax shares an ancestor with the elephant and has similar teeth, toes, and skull structure to that of an elephant. It has strong molars, which it uses to eat tough vegetation, and two large incisor teeth that grow out to be tiny tusks, just like an elephant.

The rock hyrax’s coat ranges in color from yellowish to grayish-brown, with a lighter underbelly. On their back, they have a dorsal gland, or sweat gland, which is covered with longer, darker hairs. This gland is used to mark rocks or trees to communicate with other hyraxes. They have short legs and stumpy toes with hoof-like nails. They have longer, claw-like nails, called a grooming claw, on the inner toe of the back foot that is used for grooming and scratching. In comparison to the other two hyrax species, the rock hyrax’s head is more rounded and the nose is blunt.

Diet:

The rock hyrax is diurnal and typically feeds during the daytime. Although they spend only about five percent of their time doing active pursuits like searching for food and spend the rest of their time lounging and doing nothing. Their diet varies depending on the time of year. During the wet season, rock hyraxes eat mostly grass. However, when the grass dries, they switch to fruits and leaves. Their stomachs have three chambers with bacteria, which help them to digest the plants they eat. When they feed, groups form a circle formation with their heads pointing out to keep an eye out for predators.

Habitat:

Their habitat includes the savanna, shrubland, desert, and rocky areas, such as inland cliffs and mountain peaks.

Geography:

All three hyrax species live throughout most of Africa. However, rock hyraxes are also found along the coast of the Arabian Peninsula up to Lebanon.

Breeding:

Within their large colonies, there is typically one male for every five to seven females that patrols a certain territory. Hyraxes have extremely long pregnancies, with a gestation period of seven to eight months. A female gives birth to 1 to 4 pups at a time, usually around the same time once each year. Infants are born with their ears and eyes open and within an hour after birth, they can run and jump. They look like miniature adults with the same luxuriant coat.

Nursery groups are formed within the colony for all the babies, where mothers take turns babysitting the pups. While the pups suckle until they are three months old, they begin to eat vegetation within the first three days of birth. Over the next few months of their lives, the young learn from their mother, siblings, and other group members by watching and then repeating the actions they see. While females stay within the same colony for life, males leave the colony at about two years of age to go live on the outskirts of another colony and perhaps take it over one day.

Social Structure:

Rock hyraxes are social animals that live in colonies of up to 50 individuals. They share sleeping areas and look for food together. The group begins their day by sunbathing for several hours. Once warmed up, they head out for a short period of feeding. If the weather is cold or rainy, they will not leave their rock shelter.

Lifespan:

The rock hyrax median life expectancy is 4.9 years.

Threats:

There are no major threats to this species and are even considered a pest in some areas, competing with farmers by eating their plants. They are hunted for their meat and soft fur, but their population remains stable.