WDCS have stepped up their battle with the whaling industry by announcing a “Declaration of Rights for Cetaceans: Whales and Dolphins.” that sets out a new set of measures designed to give these intelligent human-like rights that WDCS believe they deserve.

Humanlike

We are used to seeing animals portrayed as human-like in films and cartoons, but in the case of cetaceans (marine mammals including whales, dolphins, and porpoises) we are beginning to realise that they have many human-like qualities in reality.

The species’ ability to use tools, recognise themselves in a mirror and their complex and highly-evolved social behaviour all point towards them having intelligence closer to humans than other animals.

Brainy

The evidence is not purely anecdotal though, with numerous scientific studies showing that the makeup of cetacean brains being shown to be similar in structure to humans’. This has allowed them to develop levels of emotional maturity and complexity that have drawn conservation groups to demand that they be granted increased rights.

Declaration of Rights

That’s what attendees of a meeting organized by the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) said yesterday, where a multidisciplinary panel agreed on a “Declaration of Rights for Cetaceans: Whales and Dolphins”.

Weapon Against Whaling

While this hopes to bring about a broad change of attitudes towards the animals, it is seen as potentially a powerful weapon in the organisations attempts to put a halt to whaling. If we begin to think about whales and dolphins have similar rights to us humans, them being used for purposes of entertainment or held in captivity starts to appear wrong, but allowing them to still be hunted in the extremely cruel way they are at the moment seems horrific.

Thomas White, director of the Center for Ethics and Business at Loyola Marymount University in California, told Reuters:

“Whaling is ethically unacceptable…. They have a sense of self that we used to think that only human beings have.”

Life, Liberty and Well Being

The central premise by which WDCS believe our actions towards these animals should be judged is laid out in the declaration that “all cetaceans have the right to life, liberty and well being.”

Whaling Ban

This declaration conflicts with ongoing negotiations within the International Whaling Commission, which hopes to discuss lifting the ban on commercial whaling at its annual meeting next month. Those in favour of lifting the ban say it would actually reduce the number of whales killed over the next decade.

But Chris Butler-Stroud, chief executive of WDCS reaffirmed the organisation’s belief that commercial whaling cannot be allowed to go on.

“Whales and Dolphins cannot, and should not be seen as a resource. It is this out-of- date approach that allows for their continued killing, as well as polluting and destroying their natural environment. It is time we see them, and treat them, as beyond use.”

You can help to change dolphin’s lives by adopting a dolphin with WDCS. You will get regular updates on your chosen dolphin and know that your donations will be going directly to helping to conserve and protect these amazing creatures.