Giants of an Ancient Lake: Life Around the baobabs of Botswana

On the rims and scattered islands of Botswana’s Makgadikgadi salt pans – shimmering remnants of a prehistoric lake so vast it is visible from space – stand Africa’s oldest living beings: the baobabs. Undisputed sentinels of land and time, baobabs may reach an age of hundreds of years or more. These gnarled titans endure extreme seasonal changes across the Makgadikgadi, spanning from a brief wet phase – when the pans transform into a verdant oasis teeming with life – to prolonged dry periods that trap the region in scorching heat and winds, rendering it into one of Earth’s most inhospitable and dustiest places.

The proportions of a baobab are so remarkable that it has been called a forest in itself, reflecting aptly the web of life that surrounds it. Birds and small mammals build homes within its expansive canopy and branches or slip in and out of hollows, while reptiles and insects often nestle into the countless niches of its folded bark. During the heat of the day, the baobab’s broad shadow offers welcome refuge not only to elephants but also to cattle, goats, and donkeys that roam the edges of the pans.

Anchored in place for centuries, exposed to the elements and individually shaped by specific conditions, baobabs master the art of adaptation, demonstrating astounding botanical qualities. Roots, shallow but thick and extensive, snake through the bushveld with impressive force, constricting rocks in their relentless quest for moisture and nutrients. While robust bark enables photosynthesis when the baobabs shed their foliage during the dry season, the colossal trunk functions as a water reservoir and moreover, provides stability to the tree.

Yet, at times, even giants tumble, and recently one of Botswana’s arboreal monuments uprooted, it’s causes still under discussion. The soft wood, disintegrating quickly, was a silent witness to 1,400 years of human history — from the Bantu migration to the rise of modern-day Botswana – and vanished within just a few years. Overgrazing and mounting pressure between wildlife and livestock threaten baobab saplings that risk being nibbled away before they reach a critical height. What a loss - not only for the animal kingdom but for people of the pans as well. As vital pillars and towering landmarks, baobabs are places where communities congregate to worship, to connect with their ancestors or to collect nutritious fruits — developed from night-blooming flowers – that conveniently ripen during the harshest time of the year.

Elephants too, have long known the marvels of the baobab: Drawn to the moisture and minerals contained in the baobab trunk, they strip and chew its refreshing contents, while inflicting deep wounds on the stem. By activating potent self-healing properties that regenerate the damaged bark, most baobabs survive this brutish mangling, proving once more their unique and powerful resilience.

Rooted to the spot and enduring, the baobab is a silent witness to the coming and going of the herds and to human migration across the pans for centuries. Sculpted by time and stories etched into its bark, the baobab is a sanctuary of life, providing food, shade, and shelter to both wildlife and people who seek it out in Botswana’s dusty wetland.