Lampung (ANTARA) – Officials from Way Kambas National Park in Lampung Province have built beehive fences as a nature-based solution to mitigate human-elephant conflict around the conservation area.
Brigadier General Sriyanto, head of the park’s Joint Committee for Mitigation and Handling of Negative Interactions, explained that beehive fences represent a tactical measure to reduce human-elephant encounters that have persisted since the 1980s.
“We need an integrated solution, such as creating wildlife areas, utilizing technology, and encouraging community-based conservation efforts,” Sriyanto said on Friday.
Sriyanto noted that beehive fences rely on a method proven in Africa, leveraging elephants’ natural aversion to bees to deter them without causing harm.
The buzzing and stinging of bees can deter elephants from fenced areas, making the method a potential way to keep elephants from entering community land without harming them, he continued.
“Beehive fences are a nature-based solution that has been tested in Africa to prevent elephants from escaping conservation areas. The buzzing and stinging of bees will deter the elephants without harming them,” he said.
Beyond mitigating conflict, Sriyanto stated the program is designed to deliver economic benefits to buffer zone communities through the cultivation of local honeybees (Apis cerana).
He pointed out that Apis cerana is well-suited for Indonesia’s tropical climate, offering sustainable commercial potential for local farmers.
National honey demand increases by 10 to 15 percent annually, yet domestic consumption remains low, with most honey supplies imported.
In terms of productivity, one Apis cerana colony yields 5 to 8 kilograms of honey annually. At a price of Rp150,000 ($8.25) per kilogram, cultivating 10 colonies can generate Rp7.5 million ($412) to Rp15 million ($824) in supplementary annual income.
Sriyanto added that beehive fences also provide ecological benefits by supporting plant pollination across nearby community farms.
The approach can therefore help reduce human-elephant encounters while involving communities in conservation through environmentally friendly activities.
“The presence of bees helps maintain the ecosystem and pollinate plants around community plantations,” he noted.
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Translator: Riadi Gunawan, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Arie Novarina
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