Gifts That Give Good

Elephants are powerful animals. They can break through fences and trample farmland in the pursuit of food. Many farmers can ill-afford the costs of building and maintaining large fences.

But there is one thing that can stop them: the aggressive African honey bee! This gift helps farmers in Tanzania set up beehive fences to keep the elephants at bay. Beehive fences are a sustainable and eco-friendly way to protect their crops and livelihoods from seven-ton saboteurs.

The fence is relatively simple. It is made by building a few boxes to house the beehive. These boxes are connected to a wire, which runs around the crop fields.

If an elephant touches the wire, the beehive doors swing open. Hundreds of angry bees will swarm out, ready to protect their hive. The sound of swarming bees is enough to force an elephant to retreat — and learn to stay away.

Once the elephants nearby have learnt to associate the bright yellow boxes with bees, dummy boxes can be added to create the illusion of a greater threat.

This is how money is used

Farmers do not only benefit from increased crop yields and greater food security. They also do not have to worry about property damage and potentially dangerous encounters with elephants.

Meanwhile, the sale of production of ‘elephant-friendly’ honey and beeswax supplements their incomes. Researchers are also helping farmers synergies their crops with the bees’ pollinating services. It’s a win-win situation for all sides.

An elephant raid on a farm can make the difference between survival and poverty, coexistence and conflict, life and death.
Beehive fences are the only elephant deterrent fence that help farmers make money. While keeping the peace between humans and elephants, the fences allow elephants to maintain access to vital parts of their range.

The Southern Tanzania Elephant Program (STEP) also trains local elephant monitors and farmers to help with research and conservation efforts. By tracking elephant movements and collecting data on the effectiveness of beehive fences, they help researchers improve the efficacy of this solution over the long run.

How to save elephants