Welcome to the Honeyguide Foundation!

Mt. Kilimanjaro from the air

After circling around the peak of Mount Kilimanjaro with picturesque views of the summit, we landed in mainland Tanzania for our final adventure!  We started at the Honeyguide offices, learning of the history and work of the organization.  Our first day was meant as an introduction to the people who founded the organization and then the story of how and why the concept Honeyguide was established in 2007.  Through careful and pensive conversation with Ole Kirimbai, a Maasai elder and head of conservation for Honeyguide, we were able to unravel a story of why Honeyguide is such a vital component to preserving the wildlife in Tanzania. 

We learned there are two main objectives to Honeyguide:

1)   community development with an emphasis on conservation

2)   working hand in hand with the communities to problem solve around human/wildlife interactions and conflicts

Within these two objectives, four operation areas are targeted:

1)    Resource protection

2)    Enterprise development

3)    Conservation management

4)    Conservation education

Three Honeyguide staff members, Marcelina, Lasima, and Fathili, presented us with a detailed description of the varying operations.  Nearly 70% of wildlife in Tanzania lives and/or moves outside of government protected national parks during necessary migration for food, water, breeding, etc.  When the wildlife is in these areas where communities live and farm, there is often human/wildlife conflict.  For example, a farmer can have his entire crop destroyed, that took the whole season to grow, in one night by a herd of hungry elephants.  This leaves him and his family with no income and in desperate economic circumstances.  Naturally, the first response is to retaliate against the elephants (this is classified as domestic poaching). 

Danielle, Ole Kirimbai, Terri at Honeyguide Office bomas

In response to this problem, Honeyguide has developed a system for crop protection.  In collaboration with rangers, they train and provide farmers with a kit that keeps the elephants from crossing into their property.  First, they shine strong lights at the elephants, which they don’t like.  Then, they blow an airhorn, which is annoying to the elephants.   Usually, this works in deterring the elephants from crossing into farmland.  However, if a strong bull or strong matriarch resists, they throw a chili bomb.  This greatly disturbs the elephant (although has no long lasting effects), because the tip of the trunk is 10 times more sensitive than a human finger.  The long-term aim is to make passage for the elephants seamless through the designated corridors (areas that are specific for animal migration between national parks).  They are relying on the elephants’ incredible intelligence to remember the safety of the corridors over the temptation of the farmland.  Elephants can remember their exact path of migration even 35 years after they have passed through a place.  They will seek the path of least resistance.

Lasima, Terri, Fathili, Danielle, & Marcelina

Just 2 years ago, over 300 acres of crops were destroyed during elephant migrations.  So far this year, only 10 acres have been destroyed.  Working closely with Honeyguide has resulted in a decrease in retaliation poaching and much happier communities.

An example of how Honeyguide is addressing business poaching is with their Dog Tracker Unit.  The highly trained tracker dogs can pick up human scents even three days after an individual has passed through an area.  Contracts to construct roads and buildings in East Africa have been given to Chinese investors.  Huge containers filled with building materials are shipped to ports along the coast and returned to China filled with ivory.  The demand in China and Thailand for ivory is extensive due to the association with ivory as a status symbol of wealth.  If there was no market for this, the poaching demand would not be so prevalent.  However, as you saw in our previous post from Kenya, currently every 15 minutes an elephant is being killed specifically for their ivory tusks with the massive elephant carcass left to rot.  Honeyguide’s dogs with their ranger companions are a vital force in identifying and bringing poachers to justice.  

This is just a taste of Honeyguide’s work!  Impressive, isn’t it?  From here, we were off to the field to see the work in action and to visit schools and communities to learn first-hand about Honeyguide’s education projects. 

We are so thankful to Jeremy, our friend and Honeyguide host extraordinaire, and all of the folks at Honeyguide for this opportunity!  Thank you!