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ED’S COMMENT

SPECTACULAR FALLS

AND BIG TREE

uring the December break,
I visited Victoria Falls in
DZimbabwe. Despite having
heard to the contrary, the water
was plentiful and the sight of it
plunging down to the gorge below
was spectacular! During a normal
rainy season, more than five hundred
million cubic metres of water per hour
plummet over the rocks. The falls are
one of the Seven Natural Wonders of
the World.
Scottish explorer David Livingstone
was the first European to observe
the falls in 1855, naming them after
the British monarch, Queen Victoria.
They are also known by their original
name Mosi-Oa-Tunya (the smoke that
thunders), and many locals believe
they should be officially renamed as
such.
The Big Tree is an enormous Baobab
of the species Adansonia digitata, and
is located about two metres from the
Zambezi River. It is estimated to be
between 1000 and 1500 years old and
measures 22 metres in girth. This, and
its height of 24 metres tall, present a
hugely imposing picture.
The tree is protected by National
Museums and Monuments of
Zimbabwe, under whose jurisdiction
it falls. Over the years, visitors have
carved their names on its broad
trunk, leading to the erection of a
fence around it to prevent further
vandalism.
If ever you visit Zimbabwe, don’t
miss these two incredible natural
features!

Best wishes for 2025!
Karyn Richards
Editor

2 Landscape SA • Issue 145 2025 Check us out www.salandscape.co.za