Can bees possess rights? Until recently, this question seemed more philosophical than a genuine conservation strategy. However, in 2025, the 175 species of stingless bees native to the Peruvian Amazon became the world’s first insects to be granted legal rights.
This groundbreaking achievement is attributed to Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, a Peruvian biochemist and conservationist whose work bridges various scientific domains often studied in isolation: deforestation, pollinators, indigenous knowledge, and ecosystem health.
Her research has provided the first scientific evidence linking the loss of Amazonian forest to the decline of stingless bee populations. Recently, Rosa Vásquez Espinoza was honoured as one of the five laureates of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise 2026, a recognition that will enable her organisation, Amazon Research International, to expand the project significantly.
The Scientific Breakthrough Behind Legal Rights for Bees
In 2020, Rosa Vásquez Espinoza initiated her study of stingless bees in the Peruvian Amazon. A primary focus was their honey, which has been used for medicinal purposes by indigenous communities for generations. Laboratory analyses conducted by the biochemist and her colleagues uncovered scientific evidence supporting these medicinal properties, thus reinforcing traditional practices that had previously received scant attention from academia.
This initial discovery paved the way for a more comprehensive investigation. Drawing from her upbringing between the Peruvian Andes and the Amazon rainforest, Rosa Vásquez Espinoza developed a methodology with Amazon Research International that integrates scientific analysis, fieldwork, and indigenous knowledge to study populations of these crucial pollinators and the threats they face.
The scale of the research has been considerable: the team has examined over 40,000 hectares of Amazon rainforest, identified more than 300 wild bee colonies, and recorded around 1.6 million stingless bees. This collected data enabled Amazon Research International to establish the first scientific link between deforestation and the decline of stingless bees in the Amazon. This relationship is particularly significant as these insects play an essential role in pollinating numerous tropical forest plants, thereby supporting the ecological networks on which both food systems and human communities depend.
“If bees disappear, we not only lose their pollination network,” warned Rosa Vásquez Espinoza. For the scientist, the stakes also encompass the medicine, culture, and heritage associated with these bees.
Transforming Research Findings into Conservation Action
While the evidence clarified the plight of the bees, the subsequent challenge was determining how to protect them. When Rosa Vásquez Espinoza and her team sought mechanisms to translate their findings into conservation measures, they confronted a significant obstacle: stingless bees lacked specific legal protections that would allow them to respond to the threats documented by their research.
“There was a feeling that this was impossible,” the scientist recalls. Then came a question she describes as naive yet persistent: “What if we could change that?”
This query culminated in a legal precedent. In 2025, ordinances passed first in Satipo and later in Nauta, Peru, conferred legal rights upon native stingless bees. These rights include the right to exist, thrive, and live in a healthy environment, making them the first insects in the world to receive such legal recognition.
However, having rights is not sufficient to ensure the survival of a species. While the legal recognition of stingless bees sets a conservation precedent, a law alone cannot restore degraded habitats or guarantee the survival of their populations. This work is ongoing.
Community Engagement and Sustainable Practices
At Amazon Research International, Rosa Vásquez Espinoza is currently collaborating with 11 Amazonian communities. Over 350 indigenous individuals, of whom 70% are women, have received training in sustainable beekeeping, ecological research, and entrepreneurship. Additionally, the project has contributed to the regeneration of 17 hectares of rainforest.
This blend of scientific research, conservation, and community involvement has led to Rosa Vásquez Espinoza being named one of the five laureates of the Rolex Awards for Enterprise 2026. This recognition will enable the expansion of a model that has thus far been developed on a local scale.
With Rolex’s support, Rosa Vásquez Espinoza and her team plan to establish ten stingless bee sanctuaries led by indigenous communities and map 200,000 hectares of habitat. The aim is to create a transboundary conservation corridor extending into Bolivia and along the borders of Peru with Colombia and Brazil.
A Legacy of Environmental Stewardship
The award will also facilitate a long-term perspective, moving beyond the annual cycles of grants and fundraising that, according to Rosa Vásquez Espinoza, have previously constrained the initiative’s scale.
This recognition coincides with the 50th anniversary of the Rolex Awards, established in 1976 and currently part of Rolex’s Perpetual Planet Initiative. Over five decades, the programme has supported 165 laureates whose projects address some of the most pressing environmental, scientific, and social challenges across nearly 70 countries.
The work of Rosa Vásquez Espinoza now enters this legacy with a unique premise: a tiny insect whose survival connects the health of the rainforest to pollination, food systems, medicine, and the heritage of the communities that inhabit it. The case of stingless bees illustrates how science can serve as a compelling and irrefutable tool for protecting ecosystems under the law.
For more information on the Perpetual Planet Initiative by Rolex and its various projects, visit Rolex.org and Rolex.com, and stay tuned for upcoming content from Voices of the Planet.