Baobab Trees - Tanzania
Beautiful Night Time Photography
Beautiful photo of baobab trees and night sky in Tarangire National Park, Tanzania.
Baobab Tree Facts and Myths:
- Some species of baobab trees can live for a thousand years or longer - potentially reaching a maximum height of 80 feet and a diameter of 40 feet.
- Baobab trees store water inside the swollen trunk (up to 120,000 litres / 32,000 US gallons) to help the species endure the harsh drought conditions particular to the regions they are found in.
- Tabaldi is the name of the Baobab tree in Sudan and its fruit is called Gongalis. Gongalis is used to make juice or to cure stomach ailments and other diseases.
- The "The Big Baobab Pub" in Limpopo, South Africa is a pub built inside the hollow trunk of a 72 ft high Sunland Baobab tree. The tree is 155 ft in circumference, and is reported to have been carbon dated at over 6,000 years old.
- In parts of Zambia and Zimbabwe, local legend says that God disliked the taste of the fruit of the baobab so much that he turned the tree upside down so that its roots are on top, thus giving it its odd shape.
- Baobab trees are native to seasonally arid areas, and are deciduous - shedding their leaves during the dry season.
- Rafiki, in the movie The Lion King, makes his home in a baobab tree.
Baobab tree photo used with permission.
Image Copyright = Tom Schwabel
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Tom Schwabel Photography
(Image may not be re-used without permission from Mr. Schwabel.)
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