Protecting crops from raiding elephants is non an slow work for Africans farmers where wild elephants oft roam gratis , until a grouping of British researchers working inwards Republic of Kenya made a remarkable regain —elephants are naturally scared of dearest bees. Zoologists institute that elephants would speedily movement away if they heard too then much every bit the audio of a buzzing hive. These elephants pick out fifty-fifty adopted a exceptional telephone outcry upwardly used to warn the residual of the herd when they are inwards the vicinity of bees.
So Oxford zoologist Lucy King too his colleagues took the sentiment to its logical determination —the creation of a ground containing beehives. This too then called ‘beehive fence’ was kickoff deployed every bit a exam inwards Kenyan farms past times a charity organization called “Save the Elephants”. Farms were fenced off past times ix beehives hung nether pocket-size thatched roofs. Each beehive was placed 10 meters apart too were linked together past times wire. Researchers institute that farms protected past times beehives had far less human-elephant conflict than unprotected farms.
Photo credit: Lucy King
That was inwards 2002. Beehive fencing is straight off a growing phenomenon inwards Africa too Asia. The fences are slow to brand using alone locally sourced materials , too they toll a fraction compared to the toll of concrete barriers too electrified fences. Even amongst the hives empty of bees , elephants are wary of nearing them every bit the odor of the hives is plenty a deterrent. The hives are connected past times wires too then that if an elephant tries to cross the barrier , the interconnecting wire shakes the hives releasing the bees.
The resident communities also create goodness from the bees , through the harvest too sale of honey. Pollination run of the bees tin also increase biodiversity too fifty-fifty increase the yield of the crop that they protect.
Researchers are non certain why elephants are scared of bees , because an elephant’s pare is every bit good thick for bees to crusade whatsoever damage. But in that location are areas where bees tin create sting elephants , for illustration , around eyes too within of the trunk. It’s possible that elephants avoid bees to preclude such an experience.
Photo credit: www.bring-the-elephant-home.org
Photo credit: elephantsandbees.com
Sources: BBC / elephantsandbees.com