The influence of elephants (Loxodonta africana) and river proximity on baobab (Adansonia digitata Linn.) density, tree structure and bark damage in Sapi Safari Area, northern Zimbabwe

This dataset supports the study The influence of elephants (Loxodonta africana) and river proximity on baobab (Adansonia digitata Linn.) density, tree structure and bark damage in Sapi Safari Area, northern Zimbabwe It includes field-collected data from 11 stratified 1 km² plots categorized by distance from the Zambezi River (<10 km, 10–20 km, >20 km). Variables recorded include baobab tree abundance, height, canopy cover, diameter at breast height (DBH), elephant damage scores, and recovery ratings. Data were collected during the 2023 dry season using standardised methods, GPS coordinates, and spatial stratification in ArcGIS. The dataset provides baseline information for assessing spatial structure, elephant–vegetation interactions in semi-arid savannas.