Beehives as a method of crop protection against elephants: results of a nine-year study

For nine years, scientists studied the effect of beehive fences on crop protection in Kenya. The results of the study indicate that this technique reduced the number of crop damage incidents by elephants by an average of seventy-six percent over the entire observation period.

The principle of the method is based on the natural reaction of elephants, which strive to avoid contact with disturbed bees. This approach represents a natural way of resolving conflicts between wildlife and farmers. However, the researchers noted that the effectiveness of this method may decrease due to the negative impact of drought, which worsens the condition of bee colonies and honey production volumes. In this regard, the authors of the study concluded that the use of beehives as fences is a viable tool that should be applied exclusively as part of a comprehensive conflict management strategy.