Thousand-year-old baobab falls

ERWIN LEUSCHNERSWAKOPMUND/DIVUNDUAn African baobab tree known as 'The Big Baobab' in the Mahango National Park in north-western Namibia collapsed a month ago. Why the tree, estimated to be around 1 000 years old, suddenly fell has yet to be established.“It's just awful,” Amori Gerber of Shametu River Lodge said in an interview with Namibian Sun's sister publication, Allgemeine Zeitung. “A landmark has fallen,” she said.According to Gerber, around three weeks ago, it was discovered that only the trunk and the branches lying on the ground were left of the once-iconic tree.“We believe the tree was either struck by lightning or couldn't withstand the strong wind,” she said. Tourist attractionPreviously one of the most well-known tourist attractions of the area, the fallen giant has been seen and photographed by thousands of tourists and visitors.Though not the only African baobab tree (Adansonia digitata) near the Cubango River, it was the largest in the area.There are a handful of baobabs in Namibia estimated to be over 1 000 years old.“The tree fell between 16 and 17 November,” environment ministry spokesperson Romeo Muyunda said.The ministry said a particularly strong wind was likely responsible for the tree falling. “It wasn't a lightning strike because there are no signs of it on the trunk,” he said.He added that the tree was of great importance for tourism. Climate change to blameInternational research has shown that several large baobabs have fallen in the Nyae-Nyae area in recent years.In 2018, it was reported that nine of the 13 oldest baobabs were partially or completely dead. At the time, climate change was pointed to as the cause. Possibly the oldest baobab tree in the world is the Glencore baobab in South Africa. Carbon dating has put its age at 1 835 years.

Thousand-year-old baobab falls

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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Thousand-year-old baobab falls

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-18

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