Big Trees of Southern Africa

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Big Trees of Southern Africa

🌳 Discovering, documenting, and protecting the living giants of Southern Africa.

We map our region’s most magnificent historic trees and champion urban forests for the next generation.✨

27/07/2026

Searching for big trees in Kruger, but ended up finding a whole lot of personality instead! 🐾👀

Waldie ran into five young hyena cubs right in the middle of the Skukuza staff village. From tiny, dark pups to older, spotted "managers" keeping watch, it turns out a stormwater pipe under the road makes a pretty cozy den!

Check out the full story (and see which one had a face only a mother could love) on the blog! 👇
https://bigtrees.co.za/2026/07/27/tree-spotting-turned-hyena-watching/

30/06/2026

BOTANICAL HISTORY REWRITTEN? 👑🌳

Measuring trees and creating leaderboards is all well and good, but what happens when the records haven't been updated in decades?

For generations, the famous Tsitsikamma Big Tree near Storms River has been the undisputed king—South Africa's largest recorded Outeniqua Yellowwood. But a fresh field expedition to Hogsback in the Eastern Cape has completely shaken up the ranks!

On 17 June 2026, we provisionally remeasured the legendary Eastern Monarch. Thanks to a massive trunk circumference expansion (now a whopping 9.30 meters!), its newly calculated Size Index (SI) has jumped to 382.6—mathematically edging it just past the Tsitsikamma giant’s last recorded score of 379!

The Catch? The Tsitsikamma Big Tree hasn't been officially measured in over a decade. While the Eastern Monarch holds the mathematical crown for now, this discovery highlights a huge gap in our national records: champion tree registries lose their value when data becomes decades old. We need a systematic, national remeasurement programme!

👇 Is Hogsback home to the rightful new king, or will the Garden Route take the crown back when it finally gets a check-up? Let us know what you think in the comments!

🔗 Read the full data breakdown on our blog: https://bigtrees.co.za/2026/06/29/is-the-eastern-monarch-now-the-biggest-yellowwood-in-sa/

#𝒉𝒐𝒈𝒔𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌

29/06/2026

WELCOME TO BIG TREES OF SOUTHERN AFRICA!
🔗 https://bigtrees.co.za/
Our region is home to some of the most magnificent giants on Earth—from the historic baobabs to the towering yellowwoods. But a tree can only be protected if it is documented.
Big Trees of Southern Africa is a community-driven citizen science project dedicated to mapping, measuring, and protecting our greatest botanical wonders.
Using precise data metrics and GPS mapping, we are moving past "Wow, that looks big!" to build an official, living registry of our region's largest trees. From the wild expanses of SANParks and Namibia to urban canopy projects like the Big Trees of Tshwane, we are securing a green legacy for the next generation.
How you can join the movement:
👍 Like & Follow this page for incredible tree profiles, mapping updates, and tracking tips.
🗺️ Explore the Hub: Visit our website to use our scientific Size Index (SI) Calculator and see current records.
Let's work together to celebrate and preserve our living heritage. 🌿✨

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Moot
Pretoria
0186

Website

https://bigtrees.co.za/

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