CNN posted an article about Madagascar's struggle to save the majestic baobab trees. Environmentalists are saying that activities like slash-and-burn agriculture and logging for timber and fuelwood and charcoal production are all destroying the island's beautiful rainforests and their endemic biodiversity. Read the full article here.
By: By Errol Barnett and Teo Kermeliotis, CNN
Six out of the eight species of the long-lived tree are endemic to Madagascar, the island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa.
The stunning country is home to a rich ecosystem that boasts an incredible mosaic of animal and plant life evolved for tens of millions of years in complete isolation. As a result 90% of Madagascar's wildlife exists nowhere else on the planet.
In the midst of it all, the mighty baobab has stood tall for generations, its barrel-like trunk reaching a height of 18 meters.
Often described as "the upside down tree" due to its unusual shape -- the tree's branches look like roots sticking up in the air -- the baobab has sparked many legends throughout the centuries. An ancient myth has goes that when the gods planted the trees, they kept walking away so they placed them upside down.
Read related: Madagascar's 'lemur lady' on saving endangered animals
Communities in Madagascar, one of the poorest countries in the world, have long been benefiting from the deciduous trees -- their fruits are edible, their leaves are used for medicinal purposes, while their large trunks are often excavated to serve as shelters or store water during dry periods.
"There are many interactions with the life of community living around forest," explains botanist Jimmy Razafitsalama.
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