bwanamich:

Dung bombs are where the farmers mix a mixture of elephant and cow dung with chilles, form it into a brick, and then let it dry out. If they know elephants are in the area they place the bricks around the perimeter of their shamba and light them. These put off a lot of chillie smelling smoke which supposedly the elephants hate and helps to stop the crop raiding. We can only hope that it helps.

Dung bombs - interesting; - If I would have known I would have been able to place this on my menu before I sold my restauarnt; serve to my special clients!

Nico.....We thought you had !!!!!!

It all sounds too funny and silly to me to be true, but I really keep my fingers crossed that it works.
Jan, I bet, if it works you will be a hero in Kenya

You guys are a hoot!! You help to make me think young.

Carsten: I know it works because it has worked well in the southern African countries. I have also been in touch with a lady that worked with researchers in Amboseli on the human-wildlife conflict. She and a friend apparently started the chillie plants in the Oloitokitok area and she says it is working. She is planning to meet with me some time that week I am in Amboseli. It sounds as though a lot more people might like to give this a try, so last night I just ordered another 800 seeds.

In her email to me she brought up something I hadn't thought about. With the new Elerai Camp getting ready to open August 1st, she said the Maasai in the group ranches nearby are worried that the camp will become a safe haven for the elephants. Naturally as a tourist and wildlife lover one hopes that is the case, but from the Maasai point of view that is very bad news. I think that is why the camp manager and staff are so willing to help the Maasai with the chillie thing, hoping to keep any elephants in the area from crop raiding and yet safe.

We can only keep our fingers crossed. If it starts working, I'll take double the number of seeds in February!

My understanding is the idea came from The use of Pepper Spray as a deterent against bears in North America & it has had success in SA.