In a historic step for environmental protection, Amazonian stingless bees native to Peru have become the first insects in the world to be granted legal rights. According to media reports, the move formally recognises the bees’ right to exist and flourish, marking a major milestone in the global Rights of Nature movement.

The recognition has been achieved through a municipal ordinance adopted by the provincial municipality of Satipo, located in the Peruvian Amazon. By incorporating the Declaration of Rights for Native Stingless Bees into local law, the ordinance gives legal force to the protection of these pollinators and establishes a precedent that could be replicated in other regions.

Amazonian stingless bees differ from their European counterparts in that they do not sting. For centuries, they have played a central role in the ecological balance of the rainforest and in the social and cultural practices of Indigenous Amazonian communities. These communities have long relied on stingless bees for pollination, food products such as honey, and traditional knowledge systems related to forest stewardship.

The campaign to secure legal recognition for the bees emerged from sustained collaboration between conservation researchers, Indigenous communities, and legal experts working on Earth-centred laws. Supporters of the initiative emphasised the need to protect not only the insects themselves, but also the traditional knowledge associated with their management and conservation.

The Earth Law Center, an organisation that promotes the Rights of Nature and related legal frameworks worldwide, played a key role in advancing the declaration. In a statement, the organisation highlighted that stingless bees are deeply embedded in the biocultural heritage of the Peruvian Amazon. It also described the Satipo ordinance as a groundbreaking effort to preserve biodiversity through legal recognition of non-human rights.

The Declaration of Rights for Native Stingless Bees outlines a wide range of protections. These include the right to exist and thrive, the right to maintain healthy populations, and the right to habitats free from pollution. The declaration also affirms the bees’ right to ecologically stable climatic conditions, the regeneration of their natural cycles, and legal representation in cases where they or their ecosystems are threatened or harmed.

Stingless bees are among the oldest bee species on Earth and are considered essential rainforest pollinators. Scientists estimate that they pollinate more than 80 per cent of Amazonian plant species, supporting overall biodiversity and ecosystem health. Their pollination services are also vital for crops consumed worldwide, including coffee, cacao, avocados and blueberries.

Despite their importance, stingless bees face growing threats from climate change, deforestation, pesticide use, and competition from introduced European bees. Environmental experts warn that continued declines in their populations could disrupt forest regeneration and undermine food security both locally and globally.

Advocates of the ordinance say it represents a shift in how societies understand their relationship with nature. By recognising insects as rights-bearing entities rather than resources to be exploited, the Satipo declaration offers a new legal model for conservation at a time of escalating environmental crises.

The legal recognition of Amazonian stingless bees is being viewed internationally as a powerful example of how law, ecology and Indigenous knowledge can come together to protect biodiversity and strengthen environmental governance.