Protect the Baobabs of Madagascar

RFI, Radio France International, informs us of the dangers that threaten the existence of these Baobabs, Malagasy forest giants. Protect the Baobabs of Madagascar !

Among the eight species of baobabs on the planet, six are endemic to Madagascar. But deforestation and probably also climate change are creating ever-increasing pressure on these forest giants. And they disappear little by little.

Baobab - forest giants of Madagascar

Recognisable among a thousand, they have mythical shapes. And from all over the world, we're coming here, in Madagascar, to admire them.

Cyrille Cornu has been studying the baobabs of the Big Island for more than 10 years. He is a researcher at Cirad and director of the multi-award winning documentary released in 2014 “Baobabs between land and sea“.

"If you look at the baobabs, it really feels like they're archaic trees. It is easy to imagine them from the time of the dinosaurs, or at least in the time of Pangée, Of the Single Continent. But at that time, they didn't exist. In fact, baobab is a very modern species. It appeared a few million years ago", He says.

A baobab tree is not a tree !?…

The six endemic species of Madagascar appeared between 10 and less than a million years. And it is important to know that the baobab is not a tree.

"It's a giant plant. There is no wood. You can't make them into planks or firewood. With this gigantic size, this ability to live very old and also those surreal forms that gave these legends of the tree planted upside down, as such, it's a bit of an extraordinary plant. »

Protect the Baobabs of Madagascar : Extraordinary plants in danger

The massive coal mining in the north of the country and theslash-and-burn agriculture in the west and south-west of the island, locally named "hatsake", wreak havoc.

“Baobabs die in these forests”, cyrille Cornu tells us. It should be noted that their bark, which is made up in part of chlorophyll, is destroyed and in general, very few will get over it. So when you see a bleached baobab, he's almost sentenced to death.

The consequences of slash-and-burn agriculture; there are about 10 to 30 000 mature baobabs that disappear every year. “It's huge.” according to Cyrille Cornu.

Why ?

Cyrille Cornu explains the situation.

"Obviously, there are extremely complex social realities behind. People living in absolute destitution, without information. And the equation is not simple. It's not as simple as saying these people are responsible for deforestation, are responsible for the death of baobabs. In fact, these people survive. And we have a lot of difficulty as scientists, to intervene and find viable solutions in extremely tense environments. »

Climate change

With this destruction of habitat, it is also the whole procession of animals that ensure the pollination of baobabs that also disappears. Last likely threat : climate change.

"Increased temperatures are affecting the availability of water in soils. Rain patterns, also, not just the amount, but how the rain falls, can have a strong impact on the development of baobabs. And overall, this change in temperatures and rains is probably responsible for, maybe not the death systematically of baobabs, but additional constraints for these trees that are already struggling to withstand drought"", says Cyrille Cornu.

Even the iconic and very touristy "Alley of the Baobabs" is not spared either. In a decade or so, about 15 people have collapsed. The thirty or so giants still standing resist. But for how long will they still resist ?

Source : RFI - Report Africa 19/07/20

Coco Lodge Majunga therefore encourages us to keep these Baobabs, which are emblematic of Madagascar.

By l’Hôtel★★★ Restaurant Gourmand Coco Lodge Majunga

Reminder, Coco Lodge Majunga is both :

• one Hôtel★★★,
• one Gourmet restaurant,
• one 4x4 renter with drivers/qualified guides
• one Event organizer (conferences, workshops, lunches/dinners with themes, wedding, birthday or other)
• and a Tour operator organising tours on And around Majunga and many others. Discover Majunga's iconic Baobab, and all the great sites in Madagascar with us.

For your holidays or business trips, the whole team of the Hotel ★★★ Coco Lodge will welcome you warmly.

But for now, be careful.

Take good care of yourself and your loved ones !