"Bee Boxes" To Ward Off Elephants In Madhya Pradesh

In a bid to prevent incidents of human-elephant conflict, forest authorities in Madhya Pradesh have embarked upon an innovative plan, promoting bee-keeping and using advanced technology in the jungles of eastern districts of the state.

The department has recently released 25-page Recommended Operating Procedures (ROPs) to prevent human elephant conflict which includes recommendation to promote beekeeping in forest areas where there is frequent movement of wild tuskers from adjoining Chhattisgarh.
     
With nearly 26 human deaths in recent years, the state forest department believes bees will do the trick as elephants are known to be scared of the buzzing of bees. There are around 66 wild elephants, whose movement is being reported in jungles. Out of these 60 plus tuskers, around 50 have made the Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) their home since 2018.

"Elephant is afraid of bees, as they can bite the tuskers in trunk and eyes. The collective buzzing sound of bees' troubles elephant. Keeping the bee boxes on the route of the elephants will prevent the tuskers from intruding into the areas having human habitats," the ROPs mentioned.

It further recommended taking help from the Union ministry of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to promote beekeeping among villagers living in forest areas, lying in the vicinity of forests where wild elephants' movement is frequently reported.

The ROPs further talk about necessity for linking beekeeping promotion scheme with the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), to ensure proper compensation to bee-keepers in the event of destruction/damage to the bee boxes by the elephants.

According to the MP's Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) JS Chauhan, organised beekeeping could be just one of the possible mechanisms through which the elephants can be prevented from entering the human habitats. The organised beekeeping can be promoted along with other departments in all districts of East MP, which have been witnessing frequent movement of wild elephants from adjoining Chhattisgarh.

Importantly, the movement of wild elephants from adjoining Chhattisgarh has been reported in the last few years in East MP districts, including Rewa, Sidhi, Singrauli, Shahdol, Dindori, Mandla, Umaria and Anuppur.

Man vs wild conflict is increasing by the day in the eastern district of the state. A few days back, villagers complained about the killing of an elephant and burning of the remains in the buffer zone of the Badhavgarh Tiger Reserve (BTR) in Shahdol district.