IUCN Species of the Day: Grandidier’s Baobab

 

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(tm)

Photo credit: Frans Lanting

 

Grandidier’s Baobab, Adansonia grandidieri, is listed as ‘ENDANGERED’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™. This large and distinctive tree is found only on Madagascar, where it occurs in scattered locations in the south-west, between Lac Ihotry and Kirindy.

This species is the most heavily exploited of Madagascar’s baobabs; the fruits and seeds are collected for food and for the extraction of cooking oil, the bark is used to make ropes, and the spongy wood is dried and sold for thatch. However, the greatest threat to Grandidier’s Baobab comes from the transformation of its habitat into agricultural land, in which the species appears to regenerate poorly.

Since 2008, the Global Trees Campaign has been involved in the conservation of this species. Grandidier’s Baobab, in particular, is likely to benefit from the creation of protected areas, while formal protection will also be an important step in ensuring its survival. Further research into the extent of bark and fruit exploitation has been recommended, and community education and awareness-raising efforts have been identified as priorities for its conservation.

 

Geographic Range of the Grandidier’s BaobabCredit: IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™

 

To learn more about the Grandidier’s Baobab, click here.  Or visit the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ by clicking their logo below.

 

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To learn more about the Bush Warriors “Species of the Day” feature, please click here and read up on our initiative to raise awareness about the loss of earth’s biodiversity.

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