Climate crisis hits Nepal’s honey collectors and threatens tradition | Climate crisis

Aita Prasad Gurung hangs from a cliff in Nepal, carefully manipulating a long stick with a blade on the end to cut pieces of honeycomb after Himalayan bees fled smoke from a fire to drive them from their homes.

The 40-year-old man wears a white hat with a net covering his face to protect himself from stings as he hangs 50 meters from the cliff on a handmade ladder braided with bamboo strands to reach the bee colonies.

“There is a lot of risk of falling,” says Aita, whose community traditionally collects honey in beehives located dozens of meters above the ground. “You have to extract honey and stay safe at the same time.”

Now, the crafts of previous generations are increasingly under threat, as some experts say that rising temperatures caused by climate change are disrupting the growth of bees, the availability of their food and even the pollination of plants.

“There were around 35 hives last year,” says another community member, Chitra Bahadur Gurung, 49, adding, “We barely have 15 now.”

For generations, the Gurung community in Taap, about 175 km (110 miles) west of the capital, Kathmandu, and other villages in the nearby districts of Lamjung and Kaski have scoured the Himalayan cliffs for honey.

Previously, villagers participated in the ritual slaughter of a red rooster, separating its legs and feathers as an offering to the cliff god seeking forgiveness for taking honey from giant bees, known to scientists as Apis laboriosa.

Honeycomb extract, also known as “crazy honey” for some intoxicating qualities that can cause hallucinations, sells for 2,000 Nepalese rupees ($1.50) a liter (about a quarter of a gallon).

Income, shared among the group, is drying up as the number of hives dwindles, villagers say, although some make a living by growing rice, corn, millet and wheat.

With less honey available to collect every year, income from hunting has declined over the past decade, says 41-year-old Hem Raj Gurung.

“We harvested around 600kg [1,300lb] of honey 10 years ago, which dropped to around 180 kg [400lb] last year and only weighs about 100 kg [220lb] this year,” he says.

Some experts blame climate change as a major factor in the decline, but other contributors are deforestation, the diversion of water from streams and rivers to hydroelectric dams, and the use of pesticides.

The temperature rise in the Himalayas, home to the planet’s highest mountains, is higher than the global average rise of 1.2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, United Nations data and independent research show.

Global studies have found that a temperature increase of even 1 degree affects the growth of bees, the availability of their food and the cross-pollination of plants, says Suruchi Bhadwal of the Indian Institute of Energy and Resources.

Research shows that climate change is disrupting bee food chains and plant flourishing, affecting populations of both around the world, adds Bhadwal, head of earth sciences and climate change at the institute.

“In terms of the standards and what we are talking about, I think the standards are the same in Nepal,” she says.

Climate change is affecting Himalayan cliff bees in different ways, says Surendra Raj Joshi, a resilient livelihoods expert at the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development in Kathmandu.

“Too much or little rain, heavy or erratic rain, and long dry spells or large temperature fluctuations put pressure on bees to maintain colony strength and honey stocks,” he says.

Changes in the life cycle of plants also cause early or late flowering and fluctuations in nectar and honeydew secretion, he says, adding, “The most visible indicator of climate change is erratic weather.”

Some experts say floods and landslides can cause habitat loss and reduce areas where bees can forage for food.

The decline in bee populations means insufficient pollination of high-mountain crops and wild flora, says Joshi, who is also a bee expert.

“It will also have implications for the rural economy, as hunting for honey is a tradition that is emerging as an important ecotourism activity,” adds Joshi. “In addition to honey and beeswax, communities will lose income from tourism.”