What if one of Africa’s smallest creatures could help protect its largest?

Bees are usually associated with honey and pollination, but they are also becoming unlikely conservation heroes. As elephants increasingly come into conflict with farmers, researchers have discovered that elephants actively avoid bees.

The result? Beehive fences — a simple, natural solution that can protect crops, reduce human-wildlife conflict, keep wildlife corridors open, and provide communities with income from honey.

Sometimes, the most powerful conservation solutions come in the smallest packages.