HomeNewsForumA‑ZStoriesImagesColumns

Nature & Environment

Dolphin bill of rights: 'non human persons'

By T.K. Randall
February 22, 2012 · Comment icon

43 comments

Image Credit: (Flickr) Zest-pk

It has been suggested that dolphins are so intelligent that they should have their own bill of rights.

A coalition of animal welfare groups, scientists and philosophers has penned such a document in the hope that it will be sworn in and help protect what many see as a species of "non-human persons". The bill would mean that hunting dolphins or keeping them in zoos would be outlawed. "Scientific evidence is now strong enough to support the claim that dolphins are, like humans, self-aware, intelligent beings with emotions and personalities," said philosopher Thomas White.

Whales would also be elevated above other animals by the list of rules, leading to whalers being classed as murderers, the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s annual conference heard in Vancouver.

Source: Daily Mail | Comments (43)

Tags:

Recent comments on this story

#34 Posted by psyche101 13 years ago

Just like Humans then? lol Humans kill and rape their own and other species. I do agree with everything you said though. Yes, indeed but people do not get puppy dog eyes over people. That is what this is all about, did you read the article from the OP? It sounds like a bloody fairy wrote it. It makes out Dolphins are magical creatures that we should bow to. It was a stupid crap piece written by someone's inner hippy. I expected a few Unicorns at the end of the page.

#35 Posted by psyche101 13 years ago

Sometimes I despair with the comments posted on UM. Dolphins (and all Cetaceans for that matter) have long been postulated as having higher brain functions, in excess of Chimps, and so it is required of us "humans" to understand and respect this.The supposed "Bill of Rights" for Cetaceans is not THEIR Bill of Rights, it is simply a recognition of Homo Sapien Sapiens NOT to have the right to imprison or murder these creatures. YES, they exhibit all of the failings of the human race, but if they are truly aware, then they have the right to live without the tyranny of Homo Sapien Sapiens, and blo... [More]

#36 Posted by Yellow Jacket 13 years ago

Why not create a bill protecting Gorillas? They share 98% of our DNA. I agree that Dolphins should be protected and punishments for offences against them, severe. However, the great apes are closer to human than any other species.

#37 Posted by JayMark 13 years ago

There is no living entity on this planet that basically need to justify their existence or ask for the right to live peacefully. Whether or not another species is considered "mean" or "harmful" only really depends on from what side you look at it (point of view) and the circumstances. If we look at it objectively, I can say without any doubt that humans are by far the most harmful specie towards all the other. Our activity is harming more speicies (including ourselves) than any other speicie have ever done. This could have terrible concequences on us in the near future and on everything. Dolph... [More]

#38 Posted by psyche101 13 years ago

#39 Posted by JayMark 13 years ago

The big difference being that man has remorse, and does attempt to fix things. I have little doubt that Dinosaurs ate some species into extinction, feral animals cause great damage regularly as well. A Dog will do all those things to, even wild Wolves, but some dogs also will kill and eat you. At the end of the day you are dealing with a large and dangerous animal. Dolphins have also raped people. I do not know too many animals that would hold that dubious distinction. The problem with us is that no everyone attempt to fix things. Our current environmental situation is clearly a proof of that.... [More]

#40 Posted by evancj 13 years ago

The big difference being that man has remorse, and does attempt to fix things. I have little doubt that Dinosaurs ate some species into extinction, feral animals cause great damage regularly as well. A Dog will do all those things to, even wild Wolves, but some dogs also will kill and eat you. At the end of the day you are dealing with a large and dangerous animal. Dolphins have also raped people. I do not know too many animals that would hold that dubious distinction. I 100% agree with you psyche, This is completely asinine. I'm all about live and let live...up to a certain point. Dolphins ar... [More]

#41 Posted by psyche101 13 years ago

The problem with us is that no everyone attempt to fix things. Our current environmental situation is clearly a proof of that. On one side, you have environmentalists trying to help the situation and on the other side, you have big polluting industries (oil, gas, energy mainly) that don't give a damn and invest millions of dollars to prevent this, purely for economical purposes. As for the rest, I fully agree but you know, you talk about animals hurting humans. They are then dangerous to us but not necessarly to every other animals/lifeforms. Like I said, it depends of the angle you look at it... [More]

#42 Posted by psyche101 13 years ago

I 100% agree with you psyche, This is completely asinine. I'm all about live and let live...up to a certain point. Dolphins are just as ruthless and messed up as people are. They are not the peaceful, magical, and loving beings that we want them to be. We are just anthropomorphizing these animals, plain and simple. Nature is what it is, and in the real world somethings must die in order for others to live. What about all the innocent fish the dolphins kill? Are they not cute enough, or intelligent enough for their own bill of rights? At the end of the day if Japan or any other nation wants to ... [More]

#43 Posted by FLOMBIE 13 years ago

I bet the first thing they'd demand is all fishing rights.

Click here to view all 43 comments on this story

Please Login or Register to post a comment.

Our new book is out now!

The Unexplained Mysteries
Book of Weird News

AVAILABLE NOW

Take a walk on the weird side with this compilation of some of the weirdest stories ever to grace the pages of a newspaper.

Click here to learn more

We need your help!

Support us on Patreon

BONUS CONTENT

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee, you can gain access to a wide range of exclusive perks including our popular 'Lost Ghost Stories' series.

Click here to learn more

On the forum

United States and the Americas

Photographs reveal first glimpse of unco...

The terrifying scandal is that Biden was...

‘We have to increase taxes on the weal...

Musk calls for government shutdown

Palaeontology, Archaeology and History

Two Aphrodite statue fragments discovere...

Children in pharaonic attire welcome vis...

From Saint Nicholas to Kris Kringle: the...

'Alien plant' fossil discovered near Uta...

Ancient Mysteries and Alternative History

Priests and Priestesses in Ancient Egypt

If a Lost Civilization Built the Great P...

Progress In Egyptology

Amarna, Before and After

Israel, Palestine and the Middle-East

'What’s our fate, our brothers?': Syri...

Iran plagued by energy crisis partially ...

Syrian Christians

Two US Navy pilots shot down over Red Se...

Total Posts: 7,730,692 Topics: 322,687 Members: 202,831

Not a member yet ? Click here to join - registration is free and only takes a moment!

	1.	Extraterrestrial
	2.	Electronic Voice Phenomenon
	3.	Ghost
	4.	Pareidolia
	5.	Phoenix Lights
-	6.	Paranormal
	7.	Spirit Photography (Classic)
	8.	Roswell Incident
	9.	Orb
	10.	Storm Area 51

Dolphin bill of rights: 'non human persons'

The Unexplained Mysteries
Book of Weird News

Support us on Patreon

New documentary to examine UFO cases from the aliens' perspective

Veteran Nessie hunter offers his own views on the Loch Ness Monster

Resurfaced 1999 interview hints at 2025 disclosure of Area 51's secrets

From Saint Nicholas to Kris Kringle: the many names of Santa Claus

'MrBeast' to spend 100 hours hunting for ghosts inside Giza's pyramids

Mysterious man keeps showing up at road accident scenes in Nebraska