The Great Elephant Project Reaches Milestones With The Help Of Oranges!

12 years ago, The Great Elephant Project began a unique initiative to avoid increasing Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) in the local communities in and around Wasgamuwa National Park.

As of last month, they have reached a major milestone with this incredible HEC solution, which is all centered around oranges… yes, you read it right, oranges!

Let’s go back to the roots of this new project: it all started when data collected on elephant food preferences revealed that they have a real distaste for oranges and citrus fruits in general. So much so, that the mammals completely avoided going anywhere near them!

The project then thought that they could plant orange trees where HEC occurs in the communities surrounding Wasgamuwa National Park, in an attempt to deter the elephants from raiding them. World renowned organisations such as Born Free Foundation and Elephant Care International helped to fund trial orange barriers which proved to be successful and this project is now expanding with the continued help of external organisations!


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