According to SolarAfrica, the bee population worldwide is declining each year and the world is heavily dependent on bees. This is not only because life would seem extremely dull without honey but because at least a third of our food supply relies directly on bees for pollination.

Most grain crops are pollinated by wind, but having to give up the majority of fruits, nuts and vegetables (which are mainly pollinated by bees) would be devastating, adds SolarAfrica.

The Elephants Alive organisation runs many projects focusing on the sustainability of the environment and establishing a coexistence between elephants and people.

"A project close to our hearts is Elephants Alive's Elephants, Bees, Trees & People project, which tells a special story about protecting South Africa's indigenous trees from elephant impact using beehives," says Bianca Swanepoel, head of marketing and communications at SolarAfrica.

The organisation has been protecting Southern Africa’s elephants, and now it is aiming to protect their environment too. Whilst being thick-skinned creatures, elephants have three vulnerable spots on their body where bees may sting them, namely their eyes, ears and trunk, says the organisation.

The beehives keep the elephants at bay, thereby protecting the trees in which they hang. The honey harvested from the beehives is bottled and sold, with the proceeds being poured back into elephant research and conservation projects.

The organic honey is also used by the local wildlife vet to treat the lesions of wounded animals within the park. The organisation also strives to uplift the neighbouring communities and now trains the award-winning, all-female Black Mamba Anti-Poaching Unit, upskilling them to become beekeepers to improve food security and earn extra income from the honey sales.

"It's a privilege to be part of this heart-warming journey with the Elephants Alive team and be privy to all the good that they're doing for our beloved country and the environment," says Swanepoel. 

"As like-minded organisations, our values align as we strive to improve our environmental footprint and impact on sustainability for the greater good of South Africa," concludes Swanepoel.

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