The objective, in addition to protecting and releasing bees, is to remove the fear stigmas that exist towards these insects and highlight the benefits they offer to the environment.
Following the Law for the Promotion of Beekeeping and Protection of Pollinating Agents, approved in Sinaloa in 2021, the Department of Ecology and the Environment will launch the Program for the protection, rescue and relocation of bees.
At a press conference, Eunice Murúa Figueroa, director of the agency, and biologist Humberto Jiménez, beekeeper, rescuer and part of the Department of Regulations of the department, announced that this pilot program began activities in January and the idea is to improve it to create a care protocol, in which all citizens can learn how to act in the presence of a swarm.
The municipal official explained that the objective of this program, in addition to protecting and releasing bees, is to remove the stigma of fear that exists towards these insects and highlight the benefits they offer to the environment and society in general.
From January to date, 100 reports have been received, 51 swarms have been attended to, and a total of 255,000 bees have been rescued. Environmental education activities have also been carried out and reports have been attended to in four elementary schools, one high school, one hotel, one restaurant and one private assistance institution.
Once the bees are sheltered and rescued, they are taken to an apiary located towards the north exit of the city, there they are fed and later released so that they can continue with their migratory route.
“We hope to have more equipment, have more volunteers, train our Parks and Gardens elements, City Hall staff and why not all citizens who are interested” she said.
He invited the public to report when an establishment is carrying out an inadequate management of swarms, so that the management comes to carry out an inspection and surveillance visit, not to sanction, but to inform, since the program is in a stage of awareness, once everyone is aware, action will be taken in accordance with the law.
In the presence of a swarm, the beekeeper Humberto recommended not to disturb them because they are not aggressive, they are only passing through and come to rest, they are traveling bees.
Give them space, do not use a jet water to dispel them, nor insecticides.
Contact 911 or the Ecology citizen service telephone number 6699 15 50 05.
Close doors and windows and turn off lights while the rescue is carried out.
Source: El Sol de Mazatlan
