KGASHANE AND THE ELEPHANT: THE IMPORTANCE OF MARULA TREES IN SOUTH AFRICA

Abstract

Marula trees are a staple tree native to South Africa and is a source of profit due to the Marula’s ability to be converted into different types of goods like oils, lotions, and alcoholic beverages. Elephants are seen as a pest, destroying these trees and causing an economic loss. My book aims to provide the developing minds of rural South Africa a different and more honest perspective of the reasons why elephants take down and consume Marula trees, taking a scientific standpoint but expressing it in a way that is colorful, fun, and heartwarming. With this knowledge, the children can grow up having a more forgiving attitude towards elephants and understand why elephants do what they do through a more ecological lens.