The Baobab tree

Some posts ago I told the fable of the creation of the Baobab tree.
The real story of this tree is almost as interesting as the fable:
Baobabs grow very slowly and the usual ring-counting to determine the age of a tree does not work due to the very faint and sometimes disappearing ring marks.
Contrary to all other trees, the Baobab survives even if the bark is removed over its entire circumference. This "upside-down tree" sucks its water supply throughout its entire trunk and not only between the wood and the bark. It stores up to 100,000 litres of water throughout its entire wood system and thereby sometimes provides the only water source for elephants during the dry season.

Baobabs shed their leaves during the dry season

and truly look as if their roots pointed toward the sky.

The famous "Bains Baobabs" on the shores of  the swiftly disappearing shallow "lake"

which forms during the rainy season.

These "Bains Baobabs" are said to be 

between 3000 and 4000 years of age.

This age estimate is truly only an "estimate" 

and may be somewhat exagerated.

The Naturalist and Explorer, Thomas Bains, 

when coming to the Nxai Pan in Botswana, 

painted these trees about 150 years ago 

and, viewed today, one can see almost no changes

in their appearance.

Our guide, Ant, climbed into the tree, to give an idea

of  its size.

The fruits have a velvety covering and are used to produce oil and/or spices.

As the Elephants, during a long dry spell, seek water deeper in the interior of the tree,

the very structure becomes endangered and finally the mighty Baobab falls.