Farmers in Kenya have found a natural ally in their ongoing battle with elephants: honey bees. According to a study released Tuesday in Nairobi, the installation of beehives with live honey bees on fences around smallholder farms repelled elephants by more than 86 percent during peak crop season.
The research, published in the journal Conservation Science and Practice, highlights how escalating conflicts between the iconic herbivores and local communities—fueled by shrinking habitats, poaching, climatic stresses, and encroachment on dispersal areas—have led to the search for sustainable solutions. Honey bees have emerged as an effective, nature-based method to mitigate human-elephant conflict in Kenya.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
