Take a condom, fill it with extra spicy chili powder, and cap it all off with a modified decibel-shattering firecracker. What do you have? The start of a wild Friday night?

Allow Honeyguide to introduce you to the Chili Bomb, our own invention and the first line of defense against wayward elephants who invade farms in West Kilimanjaro.

Here’s the backstory: As we all appreciate the majesty and magnificence of elephants, we also must acknowledge that pachyderms can be extremely mischievous pests, especially for farmers living near wilderness areas. In fact, elephants can wipe out up to 70% or more of a farmer’s crops in a single night. Such loss means that African families might not be able to put food on the table or pay for their children’s school fees.

Since 2010, Honeyguide has partnered and worked with the Enduimet Wildlife Management Area in West Kilimanjaro, and human-wildlife conflicts often top the lists of communities’ concerns. Why should communities invest in conserving wildlife if elephants eat all of their crops and lions kill their livestock?

Crop protection and the mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts became a natural extension of Honeyguide’s anti-poaching and conservation programs. In fact, we quickly discovered that Honeyguide-supported farmers often became key informants concerning poaching incidents and suspects.

Enter the Chili Bomb. Loud noises and firecrackers have long been used to scare away wildlife, and chili peppers and powder have been used around farms to ward off elephants. Put the two together in a custom-wrapped condom and “BAM!”… you have the birth of an explosive new invention.

From December 2013 through February 2014, Honeyguide will distribute some 1,300 Chili Bombs among six villages in the Enduimet WMA. Villagers receive comprehensive training and support from rangers in order to properly and safely use the wildlife deterrents.

Big Life Foundation supports this initiative, and they have adopted their own version of the Chili Bomb in their projects around Amboseli National Park across the border in Kenya.

During tests over 2012-13, many farmers praised the Chili Bomb and said it saved their crops and livelihoods. It’s cheap, effective, and loud.

So it might not be a stocking stuffer for everyone, but for some villagers in West Kilimanjaro, the Chili Bomb makes for the perfect Christmas gift.