Satipo, a province in central Peru, just passed the first ordinance granting legal rights to stingless honeybees. Under the new law, the honeybees have the fundamental right to exist and flourish in a healthy environment without pollution, habitat loss, climate change, human activity, or other threats getting in the way of their survival. Humans can also file lawsuits on behalf of the insects. The ordinance represents a turning point in our relationship with nature, recognizing honeybees as rights-bearing subjects, at least in Peru. Though a handful of other creatures have been granted legal rights — sea turtles in Panama and all wild animals in Ecuador — experts say this is the first such instance involving insects. Stingless bees do have stingers, but they are small and ineffective, primarily used by bees to defend themselves. The new law was passed because honeybees indirectly contribute to carbon capture by keeping the forests and trees alive and regenerating. The honeybees’ honey and pollen is used for food and medicine, while their sticky “bee glue” is used for candles and arrows. According to César Ramos, President of Eco Asháninka, bees are a part of the family and should have rights like everyone else. Stingless honeybees are now facing numerous threats, including pesticides, climate change, deforestation, and competition from invasive European and African honeybees. A “gentle revolution is buzzing” in Peru, which can set an example for other nations.
