The Tree of Ténéré

The Tree of Ténéré was a famous landmark in Niger’s Ténéré Desert. Historical accounts describe it as extraordinarily isolated, with the nearest other trees about 400 km away. In 1973, a truck knocked it down; the popular story that the driver was drunk is often reported as hearsay and is not substantiated here by a reliable primary record. The tree’s remains were taken to the National Museum of Niger in Niamey. A metal marker now stands at the site.