Sigiriya Bees To Be Killed
By Risidra Mendis
Thousands of visitors who visit the famous Sigiriya Rock have always accepted giant honeybees as part of this sacred site. However, in the recent past many visitors to Sigiriya have been attacked by these bees, so measures are to be taken to destroy their hives on the rock.
Speaking to The Sunday Leader, environmental lawyer Jagath Gunewardene said these bees have in the past attacked pilgrims, but that destroying them is not the solution to the problem.
“The bees attack pilgrims or visitors only when they are provoked in some way,” Gunewardene said. “Bees get restless when they get a strong scent. If you are using a strong perfume or have just finished smoking a cigarette you could stir up the bees. Many people don’t realise that by taking simple precautionary measures they could prevent an attack from these bees.”
Gunewardene added that even the villagers in the area are against destroying the bees as they have always been identified with the Sigiriya Rock.
“Pilgrims who visit Sigiriya talk about the famous Sigiriya frescoes and the giant honeybees,” Gunewardene said. “The honeybees are pollinators and destroying them would result in a reduction of vegetables and crops in the area. Destroying these bees would also violate the Prevention of Cruelty Ordinance and the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance.”
The bees create massive, open honeycombed nests that hang from the limbs of large trees or from ceilings of open buildings. They select such locations to help thwart destruction by predators such as the sloth bear. The nests once built measure up to six to 10 feet across (2-3 meters).
“There is an allergic reaction which can be fatal to some, if adequate medical treatment is not given after a bee sting,” said a doctor attached to a hospital in Dambulla. “The rumour that seven of these wild bees contain venom similar to a cobra is not true. One bee sting may be serious to some, while others who are stung more than 50 times have survived. The attack can lead to shock which causes low blood pressure and difficulties in breathing which can ultimately lead to cardiac arrest. In clinical practice, giant honeybee stings are considered less serious than hornets stings. Deaths have only been reported due to hornet stings in Sri Lanka in recent times.”
The doctor advised that in case of a bee attack, one should not panic.
“A large percentage of those who are admitted to hospital after a bee attack suffer from injuries caused by a fall,” the doctor said. “If you are stung, the sting should be removed as quickly as possible to avoid venom being injected. When removing the sting, you should be careful not to squeeze the venom gland, as it will make the injection of the venom run faster.”
Conservation efforts in Sri Lanka usually focus on protecting larger animals. However, if these bees are destroyed the whole ecosystem would collapse, as the bees’ important function of pollinating flowers and crops would be eliminated.
If the bees are to be destroyed permission has to be given by the Wildlife Director as they come under the Department of Wildlife and Conservation. However, Wildlife Director Ananda Wijesooriya, when contacted by The Sunday Leader, said he was not informed of a decision to destroy the bees.
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