World's Oldest Bees Now Have Legal Rights

The Amazon's stingless bees, the planet's oldest bee species, have been granted legal rights in a world-first initiative in Peru. These vital pollinators, crucial for over 80% of the Amazon's flora, now possess the right to exist and flourish in two Peruvian regions. This development follows extensive advocacy and research into the significant threats they face, including climate change, deforestation, and pesticide use.

Indigenous communities have cultivated these native bees since pre-Columbian times, recognizing their profound ecological and medicinal value. However, recent observations indicate a troubling decline in their populations, making them harder to find. Compounding these challenges, the presence of aggressive Africanised honeybees, known as 'killer bees,' has led to them outcompeting the gentler stingless bees within their native habitats.

The newly enacted ordinances mandate policies for the bees' survival, encompassing habitat restoration, strict pesticide regulation, and climate change mitigation. This pioneering legal recognition is expected to inspire similar conservation efforts globally, highlighting the essential role of these pollinators and the traditional knowledge surrounding them.