Elephants, Farmers, and Harmonious Bees

Elephants, Farmers, and Harmonious Bees

An interesting new solution to a long-lived problem has made recent headlines. The scene: Nairobi Kenya; the scenario: trespassing elephants!

For ages, Kenyan farmers struggled to keep wild elephants off of their land. These hungry giants would easily knock over the farmers' fences, plow through their fields, and snack like it was sample day at Costco. The elephants already face the threat of illegal ivory poaching, and the farmers understand the grave situation that the elephants are in. However, the nonchalant pulverization of farmlands put a dent in the local economy– something had to be done.

Enter Save the Elephants, a conservation group based in Kenya. Research of elephant behavior taught scientists that elephants are afraid of bees. What better to change a behavior than a simple “scare tactic”? Save the Elephants used this knowledge to build “beehive fences” to deter the elephants from trespassing onto farmland. Three years following the placement of the beehives researchers have found that “only 20 percent of the 253 elephants that entered the Mwakoma farms during that time managed to break the fences” (Craig, 2017).

The fences were set up using strong wire and a mix of real and faux beehives. If an elephant attempted to bust through the fence for a morsel, the motion would shake the hive, releasing an angry bee swarm. The elephants typically got the hint and hightailed back to their own stomping grounds. This was a simple solution to a complex problem, and the benefits remain exceptional.

To begin with, this tactic does not result in harm to the elephants. With illegal poaching already decimating elephant populations, it was vital that Save the Elephants find a nonviolent solution to the snacking problem. By studying the gentle giants and learning their behaviors, desires, and fears, scientists found a natural solution. This goes to show that eliciting rash human dominance over wildlife is not the only course of action. Furthermore, the addition of bees to the farm perimeters boosted pollination and increased the health of the crops. The farmers were even able to sell the honey and use the profits to pay for their children to attend school (Craig, 2017). By introducing a third species to the equation, humans found a balanced solution that was nonviolent to elephants, healthy for bees, and beneficial to farmers in more ways than one.

This creative strategy serves as an example that humans and wildlife can coexist peacefully if we use our understanding of animal behavior to protect our livelihood, while equally respecting animals as living beings. It also shows the value of simplicity. The elephant problem was massive both physically and logistically, but the tiniest of solutions dissolved the problem. If we are willing to learn from nature, we may be able to solve more issues than we think!

Reference

https://www.voanews.com/a/save-elephants-beehive-fences-protect-small-kenya-farms-cropraids/3748461.html