Mana Elephant Reaching for Food

A common sight at Mana Pools is an elephant stretching into a tree for food. Mana Pools is iconic for its open forests of Acacia Albida Trees (Faidherbia albida, or Apple Ring Acacia), which the elephant love to eat. It’s not uncommon to see an elephant standing on its hind legs to reach the fruit. The Apple Ring name comes from the fact that the seed pods look like a slice taken from an apple.

The Browse Line

First-time Mana Pools visitors would be excused for thinking that the huge Acacia trees are neatly trimmed to enable walking safaris. These trees provide sustenance for many animals, so the high “browse line” is actually a result of various animals, especially elephant, trimming the trees to the height which they can reach.

The Apple Ring Acacia Tree

The tree, unlike most, sheds its leaves during the rainy season. It is full uf fruit and leaves during the dry season, providing sustenance to the elephant, amg other animals.