Dolphins deserve human rights. That's the statement being made by scientists at Emory University in Atlanta, who say that the mammals are so intelligent they deserve the status of "non-human persons." After years of studying dolphin brains, the researchers have concluded that aquatic mammals are more mentally advanced than chimpanzees, placing them second only to humans. Lori Marino, a zoologist at Emory, says that there is a strong “psychological continuity” between humans and dolphins that requires they be given the status of equals. Is it time to start treating dolphins like people?
This is just a step in a broader movement: Environmentalists are already pushing for animals to have the same "inalienable rights" as humans, says Jaymi Helmbuch at Treehugger. Some countries, such as Spain, have even granted these rights to "great apes" already. Although it would be a "long fight" to give dolphins human rights, this discovery and the subsequent debate only strengthens the argument for "treating all of Earth's living things with respect and deference."
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