Study shows baobab tree is falling prey to environmental change
ONE of the world’s most famous trees is being wiped out by climate change, a study shows.
The baobab – more commonly known as the tree of life – also hit the headlines after Prince Harry and Megham Markle’s love blossomed under one during a holiday.
The ancient tree produces a “superfood” packed with antioxidants that has been popularised by celebrities.
Now scientists have found the largest and most ancient baobabs in Africa are being mysteriously killed off. The international team described it as a disaster of “unprecedented magnitude”.
The baobab is the biggest and oldest flowering plant in the world.
Some date back 6,000 years - meaning they were around before the Great Pyramid and Sphinx were built.
They can grow almost 100 feet tall and almost 100 feet wide.
Global warming is suspected to be affecting the ability of the trees among the most distinctive on the planet - to survive in their unique habitat.
The discovery was made by chance during a study of the baobab’s biology and structure that enables it to get so big.
Eight of the 13 most historic - and five of the six largest - had either completely died or had their oldest parts collapse in just over a decade.
Professor Adrian Patrut, of Babes-bolyai University in, Romania, said: “The deaths of the majority of the oldest and largest African baobabs over the past 12 years is an event of an unprecedented magnitude.
“These deaths were not caused by an epidemic.
“We suspect the demise of monumental baobabs may be associated with significant modifications of climate conditions that affect southern Africa.”