Bees native to the Amazon are now internationally recognized as an endangered species, a first for insects of any kind. Stingless bees are the oldest bee species in the world, and they are key pollinators in the Amazon, responsible for the pollination of over 80% of the rainforest’s flora.
“The ordinances [granting legal rights to stingless bees] are precedents with no equivalent worldwide. According to Prieto they will establish a mandate requiring policies for the bees’ survival, ‘including habitat reforestation and restoration, strict regulation of pesticides and herbicides, mitigation of and adaptation to the impacts of climate change, the advancement of scientific research, and the adoption of the precautionary principle as a guiding framework for all decisions that may affect their survival.
Posted: January 12, 2026