Beehive fences?

This is a story about elephants, bees and grass seed banks. Sorry? Let’s start this story by telling you that the Maasai women groups are doing a great job in managing the grass seed banks, but have problems with elephants trying to get in the banks. Elephants like to eat the grasses and unfortunately damage the fences. Now, here it comes: By hanging beehives on the fences they will stay away, because elephants are terrified of bees! 

Save the Elephants came up with this innovative solution. They developed and ensured the funding of beehive fences that reduce damage from crop-raiding elephants using their instinctive avoidance of African honey bees. In order to avoid human-elephant conflicts and to protect the grass seed banks that are being managed by the Maasai women groups, beehives have been placed on the existing fences last week!

They were so smart to also place fake beehives in between the real ones to fool the elephants ;-).

Honey production
The other big benefit for the Maasai women groups is the production of honey. The women have been trained in how to maintain these beehives and how they can harvest the honey. By selling the honey they create an extra income!

Thank you Save the Elephants for the great work you did!