A significant, nine-year research initiative has disclosed that in Kenya, elephants that come near small farms tend to avoid beehive fences containing live honeybees up to 86% of the time, especially during peak crop seasons. This strategy aids in minimizing conflicts between humans and elephants, thereby enhancing farmers’ incomes.
The findings, featured in the Journal Conservation Science and Practice, shed light on promising nature-based methods to safeguard both wildlife and farmers’ livelihoods. This research was carried out by the non-profit organization Save the Elephants (STE) in partnership with the Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI), Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), and the University of Oxford.
Nonetheless, researchers warn that ongoing habitat loss and continuous droughts may jeopardize the long-term success of this natural deterrent.
Kenya is experiencing rapid human population growth, with a notable 59.4% increase from 2000 to 2020. This surge has resulted in reduced habitats for elephants as human developments expand. It is becoming increasingly critical for KWS, which is tasked with the protection of the country’s natural resources amidst rising economic demands, to find sustainable ways for humans and elephants to coexist. A primary focus of Save the Elephants’ Coexistence Programme is to keep elephants safely away from subsistence farms.
Beehive fences, a concept first introduced in 2007 by STE and KWS in collaboration with the University of Oxford, present an innovative solution. These fences consist of a series of live beehives connected between posts, providing a multi-faceted deterrent to elephants through physical, auditory, and smell barriers. Elephants naturally fear being stung, which helps to keep them at a distance. Moreover, these fences benefit farmers by aiding in pollination and generating income through honey and wax production.
The study assessed 26 farms protected by beehive fences in two villages close to Tsavo East National Park, analyzing nearly 4,000 incidents of elephant approaches. Elephants freely traverse the park throughout the year in search of mates, food, and water but can be attracted by the scents and nutritional value of crops.
During six peak crop-growing periods (from November to January, 2014-2020), 3,027 elephants approached the farms, and the beehive fences successfully kept away an average of 86.3% of elephants from raiding the crops. Throughout all seasons in the study period, which also included a drought, the fences deterred approximately 76% of elephants on average.
However, challenges like droughts — which caused a 75% decline in hive occupancy during 2017 — negatively influenced honey production and profits during that drought year and for three subsequent years. Despite that environmental challenge, the 365 beehives used in this study yielded one ton of honey, generating $2,250 in sales.
Dr. Lucy King from Save the Elephants and the University of Oxford’s Department of Biology, who led the research, pointed out the beehive fences’ effectiveness while cautioning about future threats. “Beehive fences are highly effective at reducing up to 86.3% of elephant raids when crops are particularly appealing,” she stated, “but our findings also serve as a warning that increased habitat disruption or more frequent droughts could diminish the efficacy of this nature-based coexistence strategy.”
Dr. Patrick Omondi, Director of the Wildlife Research and Training Institute, stressed the necessity for ongoing research and support for sustainable solutions. “Kenya is grappling with escalating human-elephant conflict challenges, and initiatives like beehive fences empower communities to take charge of their own agricultural protection,” he said. “We need further research and backing for nature-based solutions that enable our communities to thrive alongside wildlife.”
Earlier research by Save the Elephants, KWS, and the University of Oxford, in collaboration with acoustic scientists from Disney’s Animal Kingdom®, has indicated that elephants have a significant response to bees, fleeing from sounds made by disturbed bees and displaying behaviors like head-shaking, dusting, and rumbling to alert others. While elephants have thick skin that offers protection, disturbed honey bees tend to target sensitive areas such as the eyes, mouth, and trunk, where their stings can be painful. This inherent fear of bees is being effectively utilized as a feasible strategy to steer elephants away from farms, promoting human-wildlife coexistence. Currently, over 14,000 beehives have been deployed as elephant deterrents across 97 locations in Africa and Asia.
