On Oct. 27, 2025, the Provincial Municipality of Satipo, Peru issued an ordinance granting the native stingless bees of Peru legal rights. These bees are the first and, currently, only group of insects to have been given legal rights. This may seem bizarre, but it is doubtlessly a momentous step in protecting biodiversity and preserving native species in times of climate change. More than just legislation, it is a scientific effort that aims to create a more sustainable future for our Earth.
One hundred seventy-five species of the stingless bee reside in Peru, and their significance in the country is tremendous. They are the most effective pollinators of the country, pollinating upwards of 90 percent of the plant species of the area, wild species and crops alike.
These bees have been a part of Indigenous culture for hundreds of years. The Indigenous peoples of the Amazon have countless legends about the bees and have been using traditional methods to harvest their honey for food and medicinal purposes. People have used the honey in beverages, drinking it both at home and selling it for profit in markets. Communities such as the Shawi, Kichwa and Maijuna people have been using the stingless bee honey to cure countless ailments from the flu to bronchitis to infertility and arthritis. Bee pollen also has medicinal properties, and beeswax has been used for building and repair, such as waxing the strings of bows or patching up leaky spots in boats. The Maijuna people even have a song that imitates the buzzing sound of the native bee; their prevalence in daily life became integral to indigeneity.
These bees used to be abundant enough to continue pollinating plants and supporting native communities; however, their presence now is incredibly sparse. Multiple threats like climate change, deforestation, pesticides and competition with imported European bee species are causing the stingless bee population to grow smaller and smaller, faster and faster. It was no surprise then that the researchers and indigenous leaders of Peru gathered to fight for a preservation effort that could guarantee the bees’ safety.
The regional law gave the stingless bees a “legal right to exist,” to live in a suitable environment that is free of pesticides, habitat loss, pollution and human activity impeding their natural behaviors and overall survival. Furthermore, people are able to act as representatives for the bees and file lawsuits on their behalf. This effort not only directly affects the bee population but the environment as well. It directly ensures that the surrounding environment is protected from the aforementioned threats to biodiversity, which preserves not only the health and abundance of the bees but also that of other organisms in the area. This helps increase overall biodiversity and protect it, despite other organisms not having the same rights as the bees. It also means that the bees can continue to provide services that help pollinate and enhance the health of the region’s ecosystems.
A few months have passed since the ordinance, so why does this matter now? The new year does not mean that climate change has stopped. It does not mean that pesticide and invasive species growth has stopped. It does not mean that the need to protect biodiversity has stopped. Countless plant and animal species continue to be under severe anthropogenic pressure. The question of what we can do should remain at the forefront of activism efforts. If we want to ensure a future that is sustainable and resilient, we must work to protect native species whose very existence helps regulate the health of their environments and provides us with numerous ecosystem services. It is not only a scientific or conservation effort; as seen with the stingless bees, sometimes it is a matter of politics and public policy. Sometimes it is writing or art, expressing what matters to you through words or visuals. Sometimes it is a matter of history, economics or philosophy. The ways in which to get involved and make a change are endless—and they are necessary.