‘Bee fence’ to prevent elephant attacks

One minute pitting the largest animal on the ground against the insect. In this way, authorities have expressed their intention to reduce the human-elephant conflict that continues unabated in Kodagu and other parts of the South Karnataka region.

A pilot project initiated in Kodagu required bee boxes to be installed along the perimeter of the forest and villages, with the belief that elephants would not venture anywhere close to bees and thus avoid migrating into the human landscape. This idea stems from elephants’ fear of bees.

Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), to use an initiative of Project RE-HAB (Reducing elephant-human attacks using bees) to build a “bee fence” to thwart elephant attacks in human gardens. is intended.

The pilot project was launched by KVIC President Vinay Kumar Saxena on Monday at four locations around Chellur village in Kodagu district.

These spots are located in the periphery of Nagarhole National Park and Tiger Reserve, known as conflict zones.

The total cost of the project is ₹ 15 lakh and the project RE-HAB is a sub-mission of the National Honey Mission of KVIC.

KVIC has installed 15 to 20 intersection bee boxes at every four locations. Bee boxes are installed en route to human-elephant conflict zones to block human habitats to the entrance of elephants.

The boxes are connected with a wire so that when the elephants attempt to pass, a tug causes the elephants to move the herds into the herd and prevent them from moving.

The bee box is placed on the ground as well as hung from the trees. High resolution, night vision cameras have been placed at strategic points to record the effects of bees on elephants and their behavior in these areas.

The biggest advantage of Project RE-HAB is that it damages elephants without any harm. According to Mr. Saxena, digging mines or erecting fences is highly cost effective compared to many other measures.

According to KVIC, between 2015 and 2020, around 2,500 people lost their lives in elephant attacks across India, of which around 170 human fatal attacks occurred in Karnataka alone.

KVIC has entered the College of Forestry under the University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Ponnampet for impact assessment of the project.