The Tree of the Ténéré was a small, tough acacia that somehow found water deep underground. Even though the surface was sand and rock for hundreds of kilometres around, its roots went down more than 35 metres to reach a hidden supply of groundwater. It was living proof that life finds a way, even in the harshest places.
For centuries, Tuareg nomads and traders on the great trans-Saharan caravan routes knew this tree well. When they spotted it, they knew exactly where they were in the vast, featureless desert. It was like a lighthouse in the middle of the sand - a living signpost.
Today a metal sculpture shaped like a tree stands in the exact same spot, marking where the famous tree once stood. Travellers still go out of their way to visit the place. The original tree was carefully preserved and can be seen in Niger's national museum in Niamey, so people can still come face to face with this extraordinary piece of history.