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Elephant-Friendly Shopping
Inquiry Activity A learning activity by Tom J. McConnell, Strategies to Reduce Human-Wildlife Conflict Repelling Wildlife We assume that if you're reading this, you like the protect wildlife. So it may seem strange to be learning about how to repel wild animals! But remember, we are trying to keep wildlife out of farmer's fields so that farmers are okay with leaving the wildlife alone! Sometimes that means finding ways to keep wildlife out of the fields - using methods that do not hurt the animals! When we are talking about elephants, that can be very hard to do! They are so big and so strong that a fence like we use in the USA does nothing to slow an elephant! If they want the melons in a garden, they knock the fence over and eat all the melons! So we need to find other ways! Plants That Repel Elephants One strategy is to grow plants around the edge of a field or among the crops that elephants don't like! Some plants give off a scent or other chemicals that elephants will avoid. Some of these include turmeric, ginger, chili peppers (the hotter, the better!), onions and sunflowers. Fortunately, if farmers plant these, they can also provide another crop to eat or sell! (Multi-cropping!) In the USA, home gardners often do the same! We plant marigolds around our gardens to keep out rabbits, and plants like mint or rosemary to drive away mosquitos! This idea is not just for Africa, but the animals WE try to keep out may be a bit smaller than a 13-foot-tall African savanna elephant! Bee Fences Did you know that those 13-foot-tall elephants are afraid of bees?? African elders in farming communities knew this. But only recently, a researcher working to conserve elephants began using this idea to protect farmer's fields from raiding elephants - and the elephants from angry farmers! She designed a way to build "bee fences" by hanging hives around farm fields, and from trees that produce fruit. The results have been very good! The elephants don't want to risk bees stinging around their eyes, ears, mouth and trunks, so they won't cross the fences. If they bump into the fence, the bees swarm the elephants and the elephants leave! But there's an added benefit! The bees also help pollinate the crops, and crop yields have begun to increase! The farmers learned to collect the honey to sell (see the photo of "elephant-friendly honey" that you can buy online!), so they can make more money. The farmers are happy, and they have no need to kill elephants to protect their crops! So you see, creative ideas and experimenting like a scientist can solve problems for people AND for wildlife! Maybe YOU can come up with ideas to do the same around your home! 
Bee fences to keep elephants out of farm fields. (Save the Elephants)
Learn More About Multi-cropping
Click here to learn what multi-cropping is, and how it can help protect elephants. EXTENDING THE LEARNING: Planning your own "multi-crop" garden
Click here to put your knowledge to work as you plan a "multi-crop" garden for your home or community. |
Turmeric roots 
Ginger plant with roots 
Bee hives in fruit trees. From Shane, C. (2021) Living ‘Bee Fences’ Protect Farmers from Elephants, and Vice Versa. Scientific American, Sept 27, 2021.
Elephant-friendly honey (Shane, 2021)
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