A Kenyan research project has proved that elephants are scared of bees and this fear is effective at preventing animals from raiding agricultural land.

Elephants are major threat to livelihoods for poor, subsistence farmers. A herd of elephants can destroy an entire small-holding in a single night leaving a family without a future source of food or goods to sell in order to buy food.

However, pilot study in the Laikipia region of Kenya has shown that a simple fence of wood and wire and interspersed with beehives can reduce the number of raids by elephants by almost 50%.

It is often assumed that elephants and other large mammal species in Africa are confined to protected areas such as National Parks. In fact, the majority of wildlife and in Kenya and many other Eastern and Southern African countries is found outside of protected areas. Where such animals exist, there is often conflict between people and wildlife creating livelihood threats for people and animals are frequently killed as people protect precious food resources.

British researcher Lucy King discovered that herds of elephants would quickly move on from trees or areas where they heard the sound of a buzzing hive. From this discovery came the idea of creating protective fencing containing beehives.

King said: “The fence deterred a significant portion of elephants. Even with empty hives, the beehive fence is a swinging, moving complex shape which provides a visual barrier to approaching elephants. But from our other work in Kenya we have learnt that elephants avoid feeding on trees with beehives in and they run away from bee sounds.”

“So we expect elephants recognise the shape and smell of beehives and will avoid them in case they disturb the bees. Occupied hives will have even more success in deterring elephants and also provide honey for the villagers.”

Added proof of the success of the project came when the farmers extended the fence at their own cost at the end of trial.

The question is – why are elephants so scared of bees? After all, elephant skins to too thick to be stung. However they can be stung in sensitive parts around the eyes and inside the trunk. As is often said, elephants have great memories and it seems that only a single elephant in a herd has top be stung for them to never to forget the experience.

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