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All of Hawaii’i’s Bees Qualified for Protection under Endangered Species Act
All of Hawai’i’s native bees have qualified for protection under the Endangered Species Act.
A number of threats including non-native species…are having a devastating effect on the ecosystem.
Research conducted by Xerces Society has prompted federal authorities to grant all seven of Hawai’i’s native bees protection under the Endangered Species Act. This is the first time a U.S. native bee has been added to the list. The native pollinators are threatened by competition from invasive species and by habitat destruction.
Bees are critical to their native ecosystems. Pollen collects on bee’s bodies as they forage for nectar. As they fly from one plant to the next they fertilize the native vegetation by inadvertently dropping off pollen. The bees that have just gained protection only pollinate plants that are native to the Hawaiian Islands.
U.S. Fish and Wildlife spokesman Brent Lawrence said:
The bees are critical for maintaining the health of plants and other animals across the islands. Pollinators play such an important role. Listing these species as endangered will certainly help draw attention to the threats that have brought them close to extinction and it also allows us to begin the process of bringing about recovery.
Featured photo: Yellow-faced Bee in Hawai’i. Forest and Kim Starr/Flickr
Source: NBC Chicago
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