Honey bees to be used to drive away wild elephants

In a first of its kind project, the central government has launched a plan to use honey bees to threaten wild elephants from venturing into human habitat.

Kodagu (Karnataka): The central government has implemented many programmes in the past to prevent human-wildlife conflict. However, most of these projects have failed, especially those concerning the menace of wild elephants. Also, the number of human deaths has increased due to elephant attacks on a yearly basis.

It is in this context that a strategy to drive the wild elephants using a tiny enemy i.e honeybees has been initiated. The project is being implemented in Nanachhi village and Kedamullur village of Kodagu district for the first time in India.

Under this initiative, boxes with honey bee colonies will be placed within a 3 to 4 feet distance at those spots where wild elephants enter. Now, a wire would be tied connecting these boxes in such a way that when an elephant comes in contact, the wire shakes disturbing the honey bees.

This causes the honey bees to attack the elephant forcing them to flee back into the forest, thus avoiding an elephant-human conflict and also benefiting farmers who suffer crop damage due to elephant intrusion in their croplands.

The Khadi and Village Employment Re-Hab pilot project costs Rs 15 lakhs and is run by the central government.