In a groundbreaking decision, officials in Satipo, located in central Peru’s Amazon, have approved an ordinance recognizing native stingless bees as legal subjects with inherent rights. This marks the first instance in history where insects have been granted legal status, a move aimed at protecting vital pollinators that play a crucial role in sustaining the rainforest ecosystem.
The ordinance emphasizes the importance of stingless bees, which are responsible for pollinating approximately 80 percent of native Amazonian plant species. These species include forest trees and crops that support diverse wildlife, Indigenous food systems, and global markets. By shifting the legal framework to view these insects as rights holders rather than mere biological resources, authorities can now take action when bee colonies or their habitats are threatened.
Constanza Prieto Figelist, director of the Earth Law Center’s legal program for Latin America, described the ordinance as a significant turning point in how society legislates its relationship with nature. In a press release, she stated, “This ordinance marks a turning point in how we understand and legislate our relationship with [n]ature.”
Global Importance of Stingless Bees
Globally, wild bees contribute to the pollination of more than 90 percent of the crops that feed humanity, according to the Earth Law Center. In the Amazon, stingless bees are particularly vital; nearly half of the world’s roughly 500 stingless bee species inhabit tropical forests, with many residing in the Amazon. The decline of these bees has immediate ecological consequences.
As stingless bee populations dwindle, fewer flowers are able to produce fruits and seeds, which hampers forest regeneration, decreases food sources for wildlife, and reduces crop yields—especially for fruits that depend on animal pollinators.
For the Asháninka communities in central Peru, stingless bees are integral to daily life. These families have practiced meliponiculture—the stewardship of stingless bees—for centuries, harvesting honey and wax for food, medicine, tools, and rituals. Knowledge of nesting trees, seasonal cycles, and bee behavior has been passed down through generations, linking their cultural practices closely to observations of forest health.
Unfortunately, the same traits that make stingless bees essential also render them vulnerable to habitat loss. Many species depend on specific trees for nesting and exist in small, patchy populations. When forests face clearing or degradation, entire colonies can vanish swiftly. Factors such as deforestation, pesticide use, land conversion, invasive species, and climate-related extremes—like floods and prolonged droughts—are accelerating these declines.
Legal Framework and Environmental Implications
Traditional conservation laws typically focus on protecting land or regulating resource use. However, these approaches often fail to safeguard pollinators from cumulative harm caused by many small actions. The new ordinance in Satipo adopts a different perspective. Rather than viewing stingless bees as resources to be managed, it acknowledges them—and their ecosystems—as subjects of rights.
Under the ordinance, stingless bees are entitled to various rights, including:
– The right to exist and thrive
– The right to maintain healthy populations
– The right to a habitat free from pollution
– The right to ecologically stable climatic conditions
– The right to regenerate their natural cycles
– The right to legal representation in cases of threat or harm
This legal recognition allows authorities to intervene when activities such as deforestation, pesticide use, or habitat destruction threaten bee colonies. Harm to these pollinators can now be construed as a legal injury, significantly enhancing their protection.
While similar legal frameworks have granted rights to rivers and forests in various parts of the world, insects have largely remained unrecognized in legal contexts. By extending legal recognition to a pollinator, Satipo’s ordinance tests whether conservation law can effectively protect not just landscapes, but also the species that are essential for maintaining those landscapes.
As the world grapples with environmental challenges, this historic ordinance offers a new model for conservation efforts, highlighting the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the vital role that all species, including insects, play in sustaining the planet.
