How Five Ancient Baobabs Nearly Left South Africa for a Billionaire’s Park

About the significance of these trees in that region? So, I grew up hearing stories about how significant beobabs are, not just because they're a biological marvel, but also because of the deep cultural and traditional significance that they hold. So, in some cultures, the bark is used, is often used for food or medicine, and in others, the tree itself represents a central meeting place for communities where they grow naturally. So, for

It's just a little bit bizarre that such a tree that holds significance to some would end up find its way from Noborpo and end up in KZN with its limbs off, seemingly for a billionaire that lives kilometers away in a Black Sea country called Georgia. Granted, baobabs are not endangered, but they do have protected status. And if something is protected, the laws that protect them

Should be actually, actually, actively enforced. But for you, Tamin, engaging with the story and reading it, what was the thing that stood out for you the most? I honestly find it a bit heartbreaking the idea of these iconic protected trees drying and withering in a warehouse facility while the legal and bureaucratic brawl over this situation plays out. And I know in the initial article about this in the Daily Maverick, the DFFE's responsibility.

Suggested that the trees were initially intercepted in July, so three months ago, and that that was when the exporters had failed to produce this valid license for their removal and transportation. But when Tony visited the warehouse in October, the trees were still lying there and in conditions that an Indigenous plant expert described as concerning. So it really raises questions about whether enough has been done to preserve specimens in cases like this.