Project RE-HAB

Why in news?

• As a part of Project RE-HAB (Reducing Elephant-Human Attacks using Bees), bee boxes were installed by the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) across the elephant paths in southern Karnataka.
• These spots located on the periphery of Nagarahole National Park and Tiger Reserve, known conflict zones.

About the Project:

• The total cost of the project is ?15 lakh and Project RE-HAB is a sub-mission of KVIC’s National Honey Mission.
• It intends to create “bee fences” by installing bee boxes along the periphery of the forest and the villages to block the entrance of elephants to human habitations.
• The bee boxes are connected with a string so that when elephants attempt to pass through, a tug causes the bees to swarm the elephant herds and dissuade them.
• The biggest advantage of Project RE-HAB is that it dissuades elephants without causing any harm to them.
• Besides being extremely cost-effective as compared to various other measures such as digging trenches or erecting fences
• Bee boxes have been placed on the ground as well as hung from the trees.
• High resolution, night vision cameras have been installed at strategic points to record the impact of bees on elephants and their behaviour in these zones.

Prelims Question

Project RE-HAB recently in news is associated with:
(a)Reducing Man-animal conflict
(b)Improving Learning outcomes 
(c)Increasing biotechnology research
(d)Cultivation of sea algae for food

Answer to the Prelims Question