New Zealand demands recognition of whales as individuals

The king of the indigenous New Zealanders demanded that whales be given rights and recognized as individuals

The king of the New Zealand indigenous Maori people, Tuheitia Potatau Te Ferofero VII, called for whales to be given the same legal rights as people, writes the New Zealand portal Voxy.

The King today signed a historic declaration drawn up by Polynesian community leaders. The document states that whales, like the indigenous Maori people, have attributes of personality. Consequently, the declaration calls for recognition of whales as “legal persons with inherent rights” and not just as part of natural resources.

Rights include, but are not limited to, freedom of movement, the ability to express one’s unique culture and develop natural behavior.