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Why is the distance between the ground and the bottom of the foliage virtually exactly the same on each tree? The pic is not very clear (it's captured off video footage taken in 1996 in Pafuri region) but it does show that one can draw a straight horizontal line along the bottom of the foliage.



Edit: I do not have the answer to this btw!

Maybe someone else can help you with that?

Perhaps they are browsed by impala who can only reach to a certain height.

I also wondered if that was the case. It is amazing that it is so even and for as far as the eye can see.

You are correct Freda, it is the result of browsing by impala, kudu, nyala, etc.and it is quite noticeable in certain areas like Pafuri.

yep
I think you call it the browsing line.

Thanks for clearing that up for me - I just could not believe that animals could eat it off so clearly in a neat line!

I've posted this pic before and asked where I was, now I want to know what trees grow there in abundance. Please note - I don't know the answer, I'm asking you guys!

I really like your pic GP! The trees look like they shed their leaves in winter (is that how you speak of a tree ) and I would also like to know the answer. Checked my KNP books but can only find ref to the mlala palms that grow in the camp.

I think that's called 'deciduous'

My guess would be Tamboti

Where was it again... Shingwedzi..

Tamboti has much thinner trunks and i would not say it grows so big...

I would say its Leadwood!!

These trees are all over Shingwedzi. Unfortunately I wasn't concerned about what the leaves looked like or the pods and stuff.

My second guess was leadwood , when you zoom in on the bark it looks like small blocks.

I agree with Craig and Freda, it definately looks like a leadwood, specially if the bark is blocky and grey. While Tamboti can grow that high it's growth is usually stunted and appears in the form of a bushy tree.

Tamboti also requires browsers to eat the bottom branches so that only a single branch exists therby forcing the the tree to grow from that single branch. Consider that this is in a camp and there is a limited list of Tamboti browsers it is unlikely that this is Tamboti.

If you find yourself there again have a look around the tree. I know most of the prominent trees in the camps are usually tagged with their name and number.