Summary
In November 2017, the Dolphin Embassy drafted the Declaration on the Rights and Freedom of Dolphins and Whales, which was presented to public at the VI International Cultural Forum in Saint Petersburg, Russia. The Declaration takes into consideration the numerous precedents in this field (national laws on the banning or non-expansion of aquariums, declarations on the recognition of dolphins and whales as non-human individuals, the creation of international marine nature reserves for dolphins and whales), and the growing international movement for the protection of cetaceans.
The Declaration contains clauses that recognize “All dolphins and whales are individuals possessing self-awareness, intellect and feelings”, and have “the right to live and move freely in their natural environment, from which the may not be forcibly removed,” and the right to have their culture protected from human interference. It concludes with a call for national and international legislation to enshrine the rights and freedoms outlined in the Declaration, and violation of these principles should be equated to crimes against individuals and humanity.
Since the Declaration of the Rights and Freedom of Dolphins and Whales was presented to the public at the St.Petersburg International Forum, it was supported by more than 13,000 scientists and concerned individuals from twenty five countries. The petition on the Declaration was intended for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Manuel de Oliveira Guterres. The petition is currently closed, but the Declaration can still be signed and endorsed.
The Dolphin Embassy is an international, non-governmental mission dedicated to fostering a cultural environment that supports the preservation and sustainable, harmonious development of life on Earth.
Involved Organizations
Related Initiatives
Suggested Citation:
Kauffman, Craig, Catherine Haas, Alex Putzer, Shrishtee Bajpai, Kelsey Leonard, Elizabeth Macpherson, Pamela Martin, Alessandro Pelizzon & Linda Sheehan. Eco Jurisprudence Monitor. V2. 2025. Distributed by the Eco Jurisprudence Monitor.https://ecojurisprudence.org/initiatives/declaration-on-the-rights-and-freedom-of-dolphins-and-whales/.
When using our data, please follow the FAIR and CARE Principles for data governance outlined in our Ethics Statement. We are doing our best to be correct in the information we provide, but if you notice any omission or inaccuracy, please report this to us immediately at info@ecojurisprudence.org so we can correct it.
Eco Jurisprudence Tracker is licensed under CC BY 4.0
