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Maasai Giraffe and Baobab Tree, Ruaha National Park - Tanzania The tallest and largest of the 9 giraffe subspecies on the African continent, Maasai giraffe (giraffa camelopardalis tippelskirchi) are distinguished by their jagged-edged, vine-leaf shaped spots of dark chocolate on a yellowish background. They are also known as Kilimanjaro giraffe as they inhabit the plains and forests around Mount Kilimanjaro. Maasai giraffes are only found in southern Kenya and Tanzania. Immortalized in Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's "The Little Prince", the Baobab (adansonia digitata) is regarded as the largest succulent plant in the world. It is steeped in a wealth of mystique, legend and superstition wherever it occurs in Africa and it is a tree that can provide, food, water, shelter and relief from sickness. The main stem of larger baobab trees may reach enormous proportions of up to 28 m in girth. The massive, usually squat cylindrical trunk gives rise to thick tapering branches resembling a root-system, which is why it has often been referred to as the upside-down tree. There is a tale which tells of how God planted them with their roots sticking out of the ground and many traditional Africans believe that the baobab actually grows upside-down. There are 8 species of Baobob, one found on the African mainland, one in Australia and the other 6 only on the island of Madagascar. | Album:Wall Photos Shared with:Public |
