Baobab Tree with Elephant Sketch

The inspiration for this drawing which is the first in a series of three which I name “African Icons – African Tree and Elephant” comes from having the privilege of spending a lot of time watching them while ‘Braai-ing’ (BBQing) next to the Limpopo River with family and friends. Many precious memories.

Some interesting observations I made noting their many similarities are that they are both: Majestic and distinctive in shape reaching considerable sizes, icons of Africa, easy identifiable from a distance, and they even share a similar colour spectrum.

It is therefore not surprising that Baobabs are sometimes referred to as “elephants” in the kingdom of plants.

Interestingly the size of the baobab tree can vary, it can shrink and expand depending on its needs. In the dry season, the trunk shrinks and when water is abundant, the trunk expands to support more water storage.

But even though they only need a minimal amount of water they need some water – and if they do not get it over long periods they dry out and die. 

In many parts of Africa, elephants feed off the nutritious wood pulp of the baobab trees especially towards the end of the dry season when food is scarce, if there are an abundance of elephants in the area some baobabs take a battering and fall.