Are you fascinated by bees? Do you love elephants? The Kasiisi Project Citizen Science project "Bees on Guard" contributes to the conservation of both these species around Kibale National Park, Uganda in partnership with local beekeeping co-operatives, the Busiriba Beekeeping and Conservation Association and Conservation to Coexist.
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Elephants are magnificent and  fascinating, but also enormously destructive, bringing them into frequent conflict with their human neighbors. When faced with the destruction of an entire maize crop, subsistence farmers, struggling to make ends meet, are not supporters of elephant conservation.

This is where bees come in. African honey bees, tiny as they are, have ferocious stings and elephants avoid them. When farmers string beehives along wires, forming "Bee Fences" to defend their fields, elephants look elsewhere for food. But in order to deter elephants bee colonies need to be strong and healthy, a challenge during the wet season.

 Active apiaries require regular maintenance and  dealing with bees fierce enough to drive off elephants requires the right equipment, with costs beyond the reach of these beekeepers. This  is where you can help. You will be in great company. National Geographic, Akron Zoo and Oklahoma City Zoo have all assisted us in  getting this program off the ground,  but now we need to reach more farmers.
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We are running a GoFundMe campaign to raise the money needed to train and equip 15 more beekeeper associations so that their  apiaries support healthy bee colonies, produce honey to supplement family incomes, and are active enough to save the lives of elephants.

• Please Click here to make a donation.

​If you wish to make your donation a gift we can help there too. Just e-mail us at ​elizabethaross@me.com and we can send your recipient a card.

The Kasiisi Project's Improved Cookstove Initiative is one of 10 finalists selected  from over 200 entries to Solution Search's Climate Change needs Behavior Change competition. Two prizes of $25,000 will be awarded to the Judges' Choice (selected by Solution Search's panel) and People's Choice (recipient of most votes).