The recent theft of two beehives from the Yumtsil Metropolitan Ecological Park has raised concerns about the lack of effective environmental monitoring mechanisms in the state, especially for the protection of native species of high ecological value, such as the Melipona beecheii bee.

The case was brought to light by activists and Representative Manuela Coco, who reiterated that federal and state environmental laws, including the General Law of Ecological Balance and Environmental Protection, the General Law of Wildlife, and the Yucatán Environmental Protection Law, establish that biodiversity conservation and the prevention of illegal wildlife trafficking are shared responsibilities between the government and society.

The affected group is La Abeja Guardiana (The Guardian Bee), comprised of students and graduates from the Technological Institute of Mexico, Mérida campus. Since 2018, they have been developing a conservation project and a genetic diversity bank in Yumtsil to ensure the survival of the Melipona bee, a native species fundamental to tropical ecosystems.

But on October 23, unknown individuals stole two beehives from the conservation area. The incident has already led to an investigation, but it also highlighted the vulnerability of these community and scientific projects to the trafficking and theft of beehives.

"We must urge the Secretariat of Sustainable Development (SDS) to strengthen conservation and environmental education programs, and to establish a direct line for citizens to report cases of beehive theft or illegal trafficking," Cocom stated.

He also emphasized the urgent need to request that the Secretariat of Administration and Finance guarantee resources and technical autonomy so that the Environmental Protection Agency can fulfill its role in monitoring and protecting the state's natural heritage.

"What happened not only affects an academic project; it reveals the urgent need to strengthen environmental monitoring and reporting in Yucatán," it was emphasized during the session.