How bees can save elephants – find out more

Born Free is hard at work protecting elephants in our homeland of the Meru Conservation Area, in Kenya, developing practical solutions to help these huge herbivores to peacefully coexist with local communities.

Elephants can come into conflict with people if they forage on crops, wiping out a farmer’s source of food and income. But, they have a natural aversion to bees and our ‘beehive fences’ can be an effective solution. Suspended on wires to enclose a farm, the hives are home to bees, which deter elephants from foraging on crops, while providing an income for farmers through the production of honey. We find out some more details about this innovative project from our team in Kenya.

Can farmers maintain the beehive fences themselves?

At the heart of Born Free’s initiative lies the empowerment of farmers. We support them through comprehensive training and ongoing support, explaining how to look after the bees and their hives. This includes how to maintain the fence, create bee-friendly environments and produce honey. The hives can be expensive for farmers, so we are introducing a carpentry training programme so local artisans will be able to create affordable, high-quality hives, making sustainable beekeeping more accessible to farmers.

How effective are beehive fences at deterring elephants?

So far, we have seen promising results. We are still collecting a lot of data which will tell us more, but we are learning everyday about how elephants respond to the bees. Many of our farmers have seen, firsthand, elephants coming up to their fences and leaving quickly after realising that bees were defending the crops. However, the efficacy of our beehive fences is dependent on a lot of factors such as the successful occupancy of hives by bees and coping with drought conditions. Few animals are as clever as elephants, and they are quick to learn which hives are yet to be colonised by bees!

We have also set up camera traps on seven farms to watch how the elephants behave around the bees. With a better understanding of their behaviour and when combined with our long-term monitoring of the beehive fences, we can better assess how effectively the beehive fences are deterring elephants and guide future improvements.

Are the bees active year-round or do they go into hibernation?

Bee activity can vary with seasonal changes, but in areas where the climate is favourable—with adequate water, food sources, and a suitable environment—bees can maintain activity throughout the year. To support this, farmers are encouraged to plant flowering plants that provide essential nectar, and to offer sugar syrup as a supplement when natural food sources are scarce. By ensuring a steady supply of resources, we can enhance the effectiveness of beehive fences and keep bee activity high throughout the year. Born Free is committed to helping farmers achieve these conditions for optimal beehive performance.

Harvesting honey from a beehive

Where do the farmers sell their honey?

The farmers can sell their honey locally. We are also negotiating with the hoteliers within and around Meru National Park to connect the farmers to profitable markets.

Has the local community’s attitude changed towards elephants?

Since the project’s launch in 2021, there has been a notable shift in the local community’s attitude. There have been challenges throughout the years but, at the heart of our work are people and elephants. While preventing crop foraging is our main objective, we work hand-in-hand with the community to develop more projects which contribute to alleviating poverty, improving skills and increasing education and awareness. Our work has helped empower the community, giving them the ability to embrace the protection of wildlife. This shift is evident as the number of people engaging with our work has swelled and there have been fewer retaliatory events aimed at elephants.

What’s next for the beehive fence project?

The demand for beehive fences is huge across the community. We have hundreds of applicants who are keen to join the project and engage in all our other activities. We are constantly monitoring the conflict between people and elephants and are preparing to expand our work to new regions where crop foraging is a serious issue.

We want to reach as many people as possible and give them the tools to keep their crops safe. Since 2023, we have been actively training communities on low-cost methods they can implement themselves to protect their farms. Our ‘Human-Elephant Toolkit’ is a step-by-step guide that provides insights into understanding elephant behaviour, communication, and various deterrent methods, from planting chilli crops, which elephants don’t have a taste for, to installing noise makers and flashing lights, which can deter elephants from approaching farms.

Our ultimate goal is to prevent deaths and injuries to farmers from encounters with elephants outside of the park and create a safe environment where people and elephants can live, peacefully, side-by-side.