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The world’s largest armadillo, the giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus), primarily feeds on termites and ants. However, it also enjoys a delicacy: bee larvae.
This culinary peculiarities, however, has become a threat to the animal, which is already on the endangered species list.
To access the larvae, the giant armadillo ends up destroying the beehives in apiaries, causing significant damage to beekeepers. A single specimen can destroy up to 40 hives in one night. Due to its hard shell, the armadillo is unaffected by bee stings.
In order to foster peaceful coexistence between humans and animals, Icas (the Institute for the Conservation of Wild Animals), which is responsible for the Giant Armadillo Project, has been developing the "Canastras and Beehives" program since 2015.
The biologist at Icas, Gabriela Rodrigues Longo, who holds a doctorate in environmental education, explains that the problem was discovered while Icas was conducting a mapping of the armadillos.
They surveyed 178 apiaries in Mato Grosso do Sul and found that 73% of them had suffered attacks by armadillos.
The first step was to create a coexistence guide and develop measures to make it more difficult for the animal to access the beehives. Some beehives were fenced off, while others were placed on higher stands, out of reach of the armadillo, which can grow up to 1.60 meters in length from head to tail.
To encourage participation in the program, Icas created the "Friends of the Armadillo" seal for honey produced by partner beekeepers.
"All those beekeepers who are certified as Friends of the Giant Armadillo, those who assist us and commit to not retaliating against the armadillo in case of destruction, when this happens, they contact us so we can help them instead of them taking matters into their own hands, right?"
"All those beekeepers who truly make this commitment with us, maintain communication, and assist us, these beekeepers are certified. So we collect a series of information from them, and they receive a seal for their honey. This seal is the ‘Friend of the Armadillo’ seal, which is internationally recognized and even increases their profitability," said the biologist.
Icas already has 94 certified producers, who have seen a 20% increase in profits since joining the program.
However, this advantage has mostly been noticed by larger beekeepers. Smaller ones, who face more logistical challenges in selling their products, need more incentive.
This came in December of last year.
It is the "Queens Program."
Any producer who loses a hive due to the intervention of a giant armadillo receives, free of charge, a replacement queen bee to restart production.
According to the biologist, 260 queens have already been provided.
"We produce the Queen Bees for all certified beekeepers who experience damage. So, if a beekeeper is in full production and suffers damage, they can contact the project and request a certain number of queen bees, which will be produced within a certain period and sent to the beekeeper with care. These bees are produced using precise beekeeping techniques, and they are genetically selected to be suitable for honey production."
The fight for the preservation of the giant armadillo is not only a benefit for this species. Known as the engineer of nature, this animal digs many burrows that also serve as shelter for other animals, both vertebrates and invertebrates. The burrows are also used for reproduction, thermal regulation, protection, and the safeguarding of offspring.
The burrows are so large that even jaguars use the work of these animals, who, unfortunately, are listed as endangered.