Bees Saving Elephants in Kenya

After poaching, the second biggest threat to the elephants is conflict with people over land. As the human population in Africa is set to double by 2050, a battle over land is fought between farming communities and the migrating elephants who require huge expanses of land to survive. Elephants mow down and eat crops which farmers depend on, whereupon land owners retaliate, and elephants are often harmed or killed as a result.

Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) is a complex challenge. This initiative allows us to partner with communities to deliver a sustainable and scalable solution through beekeeping. Elephants are afraid of bees and will avoid them at all cost! Farmers can become beekeepers (through your support), mastering a new skill set which not only maintains peace between elephants and people but also provides communities with an additional income source from honey and wax sales.

Beehive fences are a highly effective technique first developed by Dr Lucy King in Kenya. We're replicating this scalable solution in Northern Tanzania, helping communities to receive benefits from conservation with self-sustainable honey businesses, which improve quality of life, and facilitate human-elephant coexistence.

The Twin Peak Challenge was born in order to raise funds for this initiative, and in honor of a fellow conservationist who lost his life because of his commitment to protecting elephants. 

This year (and for years to follow), we are taking on two of Africa's tallest mountains - Mt. Meru & Mt. Kilimanjaro, back-to-back! With two climbing teams embarking on the expedition, in August and September.  We will keep you posted on the outcome.  

If you would like to participate please feel free to reach out and I will be happy to send you the details.

With Gratitude,

Hayley