Help Loita Maasai erect beehive fence to stop Human-elephant conflict

In the near past, the community around Loita Forest adapted agriculture to diversify livelihood options in an attempt to combat food insecurity and hunger due to climate change and over burgeoning population.

The raid by wildlife from the forest and particularly elephants has continuously jeopardized their efforts. This is exacerbated by immigrant elephants normally from the secluded Maasai Mara game reserve that are not accustomed to human interaction coupled with lack of mechanism in Loita to contain elephants in the forest.

The immigrant elephants tend to be violent to human beings due to unfamiliarity causing injuries, deaths and immense destruction to property especially food – crops. This is further encouraged by forest ecosystem degradation and fragmentation with mushrooming human settlements in wildlife migratory corridors.

As a result, more than 20 people lost lives to Elephants and in excess of 100 injured in the past two years according to recent survey by Duncan and Mbatiany (2016); either as they defend their crops or during interaction on the migratory routes (mostly school going children). The number of deaths might seem small but enough to cause disaster. This protracted conflict has drastically changed the locals’ attitude towards Elephants. They kill them in bitterness of past experiences and in defense of their livelihood and loved ones. Consequently this conflicting interaction has contributed to drastic reduction of elephants’ population and left locals with dismantled livelihoods. Even though the Kenyan government is combating poaching and destroying market linkages demonstrated by the recent burn of 105 tons of ivory on 29th April 2016, human-Elephant conflicts still threatens the existence of Forest Elephants.

That is why ERETO AFRICA asks for your treasured support as either well-wishers, Elephant lovers and partner to raise $500,000 to erect a beehive fence along 56 Km stretch bordering Loita Forest and the immediate agrarian community and along various wildlife migratory routes totaling 20 km. The help will also go along to support 10 existing community scouts and recruit, train and equip 20 more in a bid to protect Elephants from snares and poachers, hire a Veterinary doctor to treat injured Elephants, secure migratory corridors and restore the local Maasais’ livelihoods and further diversify their income from honey harvesting and provide employment to the many jobless and idle youth who has the potential of converting to or colluding with poachers for a living in our 30 targeted villages. In addition, the bee pollinator will increase crop yields as well as increase pollination rate of natural vegetation such as trees, bushes, flowering shrubs and wild grazes which not only increases quality forage for both livestock and elephants, but also maintains a carbon sink that reduces global warming.

This initiative envisions making good neighbors for both the hardworking farmers and this endangered mightiest land mammal; the African elephant, in posterity.

Help us with your contribution through www.eretoafrica.org/projects to execute this noble cause!
• 5USD will pay for materials and labor for 1 metre of fencing.
• 50USD will pay for materials and labor for 10 metres of fencing.
• 500USD will pay for materials and labor for 100 metres of fencing.
• 5000USD will pay for materials and labor for 1 kilometre of fencing
• 10,000USD will pay for materials and labor for adopting a village
• 100USD will be stipend 1 community scout in a month.
• 500USD will equip and train every new community scout.