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The Mitsui & Co. Environment Fund

Introduction to Grant Projects

Mara Conservancy (recommended by overseas office)

Bee-hive fence as resolution for human-elephant conflict and local community livelihoods improvement in Masai Mara, Kenya

Activity grant

Project Description
This project proposes to use a natural beehive fence technique in order to prevent elephants raiding crops in the wildlife area just outside the protected parks in the Masai Mara, Kenya. Past research has shown that elephants do not like bees and tend to avoid the area where they have encountered angry, swarming bees. The beehive fence not only deters the elephants, but also provides a source of income for the community living next to the area for the elephants located outside of the parks. The revenue generated from beekeeping can potentially turn around the negative effects from the charcoal business. It could become an incentive to end the current mass deforestation and prevent it spreading into the last remaining indigenous forest in the Masai Mara.
Grant year
FY15/3 Activity Grants
Grant term
Three years
October 2014 - September 2017
Grant amount
6,652,000 yen
Activity region
Masai Mara, Kenya

Overview of the Organization

Veterinarian Dr. Asuka TAKITA
Representative
Veterinarian Dr. Asuka TAKITA
The Kenyan non-profit organization, Mara Conservancy, has worked with local leaders, communities and partners over the past 13 years to protect the Mara Triangle and transform the area into a model of sustainable management based on transparency and accountability. Mara Conservancy employs 120 staff and manages eight patrol vehicles, teams of tracker and detection dogs, as well as road maintenance equipment. Operating solely on a percentage of tourism revenue, Mara Conservancy maintains roads and infrastructure in the Mara Triangle; deploys anti-poaching/de-snaring patrols for security; implements preventive health programs for domestic dogs in adjacent communities; and develops education materials that promote responsible tourism.
Recent Activities
  • Road and infrastructure maintenance -accessibility to and within the Triangle hinges on well-maintained roads and sound infrastructure.
  • Anti-poaching/de-snaring patrols - regular patrols ensure security of the Mara Triangle for animals, visitors and the adjacent communities.
  • Detection and tracking dogs - teams of trained dogs support patrols and investigations by Masai Mara National Reserve’s rangers and inspect vehicles entering and exiting the area.
  • Preventive health programs for domestic dogs and cats - on-going vaccination of dogs and cats in the Trans Mara District reduces incidences of disease and transmission, thereby maintaining a healthy environment for domestic animals, wildlife and people.
  • Awareness and education campaigns - training of safari guides and provision of educational materials to encourage responsible tourist behavior within the Reserve.
Establishment
2001
Staff
120 fulltime and 10 part-time staff members.
Contact
P.O. Box 634578-00619, Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 723 747930
http://www.maratriangle.org