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Farmers, Elephants, and Bees

animals.oreilly.com

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Re: Farmers, Elephants, and Bees

#31

Post by simonsquiff »

maxerickson wrote: post #26
simonsquiff wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes but she said in that article that the money will go towards expanding the programme: 'The recognition and financial support will enable us to expand our vital research work and protect many more rural farming families from elephant invasions.' I was friends at university with Lucy - she's amazing and the success and expansion of this work will definitely be her main motivator. She's doing it because she adores el…

I don't understand your "yes but". I was just pointing out that the signalling being asked for in the GP comment was quite real.

Yes you are right. I was really just qualifying the original post about her getting rich. On reflection we're all making the same point that she's getting recognition and the programme is getting financial signalling of a job well done, which is great.

Re: Farmers, Elephants, and Bees

#32

Post by graeme »

zeteo wrote: post #20
Zikes wrote: post #3

Man, that's a crazy good idea. First, it's 85% effective in solving the elephant problem; second, free honey which makes the fence a profitable venture in its own right; and third, the bees will pollinate the crops they're protecting, potentially maximizing crop yield.

Free honey? Beekeeping is actually a lot of work (especially when the hives are spread out like this). Also they say it's up to 85% effective, so that's the maximum not the average.

Yes, I imagine widespread adoption of this idea will lower honey prices and therefore increase the effective cost of the fences.

Still, it's neat to have a fence that's a potential source of profit if managed efficiently and depending on local prices. Elephant related cost savings will subsidize the cost of bee-keeping.

Re: Farmers, Elephants, and Bees

#33

Post by masklinn »

zeteo wrote: post #20
Zikes wrote: post #3

Man, that's a crazy good idea. First, it's 85% effective in solving the elephant problem; second, free honey which makes the fence a profitable venture in its own right; and third, the bees will pollinate the crops they're protecting, potentially maximizing crop yield.

Free honey? Beekeeping is actually a lot of work (especially when the hives are spread out like this). Also they say it's up to 85% effective, so that's the maximum not the average.

> Free honey? Beekeeping is actually a lot of work

True, but you can decide your tradeoff: if you don't want or need much honey, don't gather it. The bees will be healtier as well, as a result.

Re: Farmers, Elephants, and Bees

#35

Post by nostromo »

The original problem is that farms are blocking elephant migration paths. "The elephants’ key migratory routes have been cut off in many places."

And now you've replaced a fence that they can break through with a fence made of bees. Yes, this is probably good for the humans, but I don't see how it's better for the elephants.

Re: Farmers, Elephants, and Bees

#38

Post by TallGuyShort »

apalmer wrote: post #23
mikeash wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Occasionally suffer a relatively harmless sting from a bee versus have elephants destroy your livelihood... doesn't really seem like a difficult choice to me.

These are african bees, what we in america refer to as 'killer' bees. These bees are highly agressive and are much more likely to swarm a perceived threat, and once swarming will not stop stinging the preceived threat for potentially hours. Elephants which are more than 10 times as big as a person with a much thicker hide are not 'paranoid' of bees. Their fear is well justified.

Just because the bee is in Africa doesn't make it a 'killer' bee.

Re: Farmers, Elephants, and Bees

#39

Post by mikeash »

apalmer wrote: post #23
mikeash wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Occasionally suffer a relatively harmless sting from a bee versus have elephants destroy your livelihood... doesn't really seem like a difficult choice to me.

These are african bees, what we in america refer to as 'killer' bees. These bees are highly agressive and are much more likely to swarm a perceived threat, and once swarming will not stop stinging the preceived threat for potentially hours. Elephants which are more than 10 times as big as a person with a much thicker hide are not 'paranoid' of bees. Their fear is well justified.

Yes, I remember the hype around "killer" bees coming to the US. Then the hype went away, even though the bees didn't. I think the threat is vastly overstated.

Re: Farmers, Elephants, and Bees

#40

Post by rosser »

nostromo wrote: post #35

The original problem is that farms are blocking elephant migration paths. "The elephants’ key migratory routes have been cut off in many places." And now you've replaced a fence that they can break through with a fence made of bees. Yes, this is probably good for the humans, but I don't see how it's better for the elephants.

From TFA, above the photo of Ms. King standing next to a hive fence, "The farmers leave wide pathways between their crops so elephants can move past the fences along their migratory routes."
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