THERE is a real buzz around a Worcester resident’s seemingly impossible mission to use the tiny honeybee to stop the world’s largest land mammal.
At the end of April, Rachel Monger is travelling for a month to a village bordering Tanzania’s Ruaha National Gamepark to help start work building a six km “bee fence”.
The project, led by Emmanuel International Tanzania, uses elephants’ natural fear of bees to prevent them from destroying local crops and harming people, effectively protecting the village, their livelihoods and the elephants themselves.
The six km living fence will use 600 hives and be manned by 60 local beekeepers.
St John’s resident Rachel has launched a fundraiser to raise £15,000 for the project and already has the support of the Worcester Beekeepers, who will be featuring a display about this work at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival in May. Together they will also be visiting local schools to talk about the project and raise funds.
The project will also hugely benefit the local area in Tanzania. It will generate income through honey and beeswax sales, supporting local healthcare and educations. The bees will also increase crop yields through pollination.
Rachel said: “It’s an incredible solution where everyone wins. We are protecting the elephants, securing food for subsistence farmers, and creating a sustainable economy through beekeeping. Every £25 donated adds another hive to the fence.
“The campaign aligns with World Bee Day on May 20, highlighting the global importance of bees – not just for our gardens in Worcester, but for life-saving conservation in Africa.”
Visit www.gofundme.com/f/the-elephant-and-bee-project-tanzania to donate.
