We’re saving elephants with the help of bees

Introduction

The elephant population in Tanzania has declined drastically since the 1970s. Anti-poaching laws have led to a slight recovery, but another major problem persists. In search of new agricultural land, Tanzania’s farms are expanding into the habitat of elephants and their migration routes. This leads to elephant-human conflicts over land use, potentially resulting in casualties on both sides.

The Mission

We’re partnering with Wild Survivors to safeguard the endangered African Savanna elephant, the largest animal walking the face of the earth. Their mission is to protect elephants and the livelihoods of locals in the Ngorongoro region. To do that, they’re using a genius solution based on one simple fact: Elephants are scared of bees.

With the help of that simple fact, they’re building fences made of beehives. These fences allow smaller animals to pass but prevent elephants from entering and destroying fields and crops. Thanks to our community, we were able to lengthen the beehive fences by 2km. We’re also providing beekeeping enterprise training for local women to improve elephant-human coexistence and boost female entrepreneurship in the region.

Mission Video

Debrief

Our Partner

Masalu John Masaka

Wild Survivors

Masaka has been the Data & Research Coordinator for Wild Survivors for 4 years. He’s seen first-hand the damage that human-elephant conflicts can cause. That’s why he looked for sustainable ways to improve the coexistence between wild animals and locals in the Ngorongoro region. With the help of his team, he now sets up beehive fences to save elephants. He also coordinates community meetings to enhance local understanding of elephants.

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