Southern Resident Orcas are culturally, spiritually, and economically important to the people of Washington State and the world. However, despite legal protections for nearly two decades, the population continues to decline with fewer than 80 individuals left.
We stand at a critical juncture and still have an opportunity to restore the population to health.
Earth Law Center and Legal Rights for the Salish Sea are leading a campaign calling for State recognition of the Southern Resident Orcas’ inherent rights, including the right to:
-
- life,
- autonomy,
- culture,
- free and safe passage,
- adequate food supply from naturally occurring sources,
- and freedom from conditions causing physical, emotional or mental harm, including a habitat degraded by noise, pollution and contamination.
Legally speaking, recognizing the Southern Residents’ rights means that we must consider their wellbeing and needs in addition to human interests in decision making, and that they will have a voice in a variety of forums, including courts. Through their human guardians acting on their behalf and in their best interests, the Orcas will be able to express what they need to exist, thrive, and evolve.
Why Rights?
Earth-centered laws such as those based on the “Rights of Nature” are emerging worldwide to transform our relationship with Nature, of which we are an inseparable part. Central to a “Rights of Nature” framework is the recognition that Nature is a living being and rights-bearing entity.
We have the opportunity to join the growing movement of communities across the United States and Internationally who are speaking up for rights of all sentient beings.
Both San Francisco and Malibu passed resolutions protecting the rights of whales and dolphins in their coastal waters; the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest Indians passed a resolution recognizing the sacred obligation to the Southern Resident Orcas “our relatives under the waves”; the ʔEsdilagh First Nation in Canada enacted the ʔElhdaqox Dechen Ts’edilhtan (ʔEsdilagh Sturgeon River Law –also known as the Fraser River) that states the people, animals, fish, plants, the nen (“lands”), and the tu (“waters”) have rights; New Zealand’s Government legally recognizes animals as ‘sentient’ beings; the Uttarakhand High Court of India ruled that the entire animal kingdom are legal entities with rights; and the United Kingdom now recognizes lobsters, crabs, and octopus as sentient beings; AND MANY MORE!
We have a responsibility to conserve, protect and defend the Southern Residents and the ecosystems upon which they depend. We must demand immediate actions to protect and restore the Orcas’ rights by addressing their main threats to survival. At a more fundamental level, recognizing the Southern Residents’ inherent rights shows that we as a society value them as living beings. It shows that when we say we want to prevent their extinction, we mean it.
The undersigned do hereby certify that the foregoing Declaration was duly adopted.
*This declaration was created collaboratively with:
PLEASE HELP US GET AS MANY SIGNATURES AS POSSIBLE!
IN FACT, LET’S SHOOT FOR A MILLION, IF NOT MORE! THANK YOU!
Declaration of the Rights of the Southern Resident Orcas
3,138 signatures
Latest Signatures
3,138
Ms.
Amy H.
Port Townsend, WA
98368
??
May 07, 2022
3,137
Ms Britta V.
Olympia, WA
98506
United States
Apr 27, 2022
3,136
Ms Stephanie R.
Friday Harbor, Washington
98250
United States
Apr 27, 2022
3,135
Mr Dennis K.
Vashon, Washington
98070
??
Apr 27, 2022
3,134
Ms Kimberly K.
Vashon, King
98070
??
Apr 27, 2022
3,133
Ms Sophia K.
Seattle, WA
98146
United States
Apr 25, 2022
3,132
Ms Kyla W.
Tacoma, WA
98403
United States
Apr 17, 2022
3,131
Ms Sharon G.
Friday Harbor, WA
98250
United States
Apr 02, 2022
3,130
Ms Sara S.
Scotts Valley, CA
95066
United States
Mar 18, 2022
3,129
Ms Janet J.
Olympia, WA
98501
United States
Mar 07, 2022
3,128
Mr Matt C.
SHELTON, WA
98584-5823
United States
Mar 06, 2022
3,127
Mx. Alex F.
Seattle, WA
98103
United States
Mar 01, 2022
3,126
Mr Charles C.
Bellevue, WA
98007
United States
Mar 01, 2022
3,125
Mr Andre C.
Seattle, WA
98103
United States
Mar 01, 2022
3,124
Ms Emilie B.
Toronto, Ontario
M5T0A9
Canada
Feb 24, 2022
3,123
Ms Alex K.
ON
Canada
Feb 24, 2022
3,122
Ms Nika M.
Toronto , ON
M5V3Y3
Canada
Feb 24, 2022
3,121
Ms gabi g.
münchen, Bayern
81927
Germany
Feb 16, 2022
3,120
Ms ralph r.
schwabmünchen
86830
Germany
Feb 16, 2022
3,119
Ms bettina F.
stuttgart
70374
Germany
Feb 16, 2022
3,118
Ms Sybille F.
Ulm, Deutschland
89075
Germany
Feb 16, 2022
3,117
Ms Ashton H.
Oxley, QLD
4075
??
Jan 27, 2022
3,116
Mrs Faith N.
Moncton , NB
E1c8j6
Canada
Jan 14, 2022
3,115
Ms Susanne W.
Calden , Hessen
34379
Germany
Jan 08, 2022
3,114
Mrs Rheama K.
Depoe Bay, OR
97341
United States
Dec 08, 2021
3,113
Ms pluto r.
brisbane, qld
4120
Australia
Nov 20, 2021
3,112
Ms Cara C.
Indianola, WA
98342
United States
Nov 10, 2021
3,111
Ms Susan P.
Dana Point, CA
92629
American Samoa
Oct 08, 2021
3,110
Ms Ryam H.
Bellevue , WA
98008
United States
Oct 06, 2021
3,109
Ms Kristi W.
Bellevue, WA
98006
??
Oct 02, 2021
3,108
Ms Amanda S.
Issaquah, WA
98027
United States
Oct 01, 2021
3,107
Ms Barbara J.
Manchester , Mo
63021
United States
Oct 01, 2021
3,106
Mrs Plamena T.
Northbrook, IL
60062
United States
Oct 01, 2021
3,105
Ms Rachel H.
Bellevue, WA
98004
United States
Oct 01, 2021
3,104
Ms Clara H.
Maple Valley, Washington
98038
United States
Oct 01, 2021
3,103
Ms Lisa G.
Woodstock, MD
21163
United States
Sep 29, 2021
3,102
Ms Summer M.
Seattle, WA
98108
United States
Sep 29, 2021
3,101
Ms Barbara K.
Port Townsend, WA
98368
United States
Sep 29, 2021
3,100
Ms Barbara B.
Baltimore , MD
21239
United States
Sep 29, 2021
3,099
Ms Linda B.
Sammamish, WA
98074
United States
Sep 29, 2021
3,098
Ms Oolaa k.
Bellevue, WA
98008
United States
Sep 29, 2021
3,097
Mr Trevor H.
Bellevue, WA
98006
United States
Sep 29, 2021
3,096
Ms Carol B.
Bellevue, WA
98007
United States
Sep 29, 2021
3,095
Ms Jennifer H.
Bellevue, Washington
98006
United States
Sep 29, 2021
3,094
Ms Virginia J.
??
Aug 28, 2021
3,093
Ms Dalia G.
athens
18533
Greece
Aug 27, 2021
3,092
Mr Stavros S.
Nicosia, Please select
2007
Cyprus
Aug 23, 2021
3,091
Ms Robbie H.
New York, NY
10009
United States
Aug 23, 2021
3,090
Mx. Heather J.
Denver, CO
80219
United States
Aug 22, 2021
3,089
Ms Daniela H.
Mülheim an der Ruhr, Deutschland
45473
Germany
Aug 21, 2021
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Declaration of the Rights of the Southern Resident Orcas
3,138 | Ms. Amy H. | Port Townsend, WA | 98368 | May 07, 2022 | ||
3,137 | Ms Britta V. | Olympia, WA | 98506 | Apr 27, 2022 | ||
3,136 | Ms Stephanie R. | Friday Harbor, Washington | 98250 | Apr 27, 2022 | ||
3,135 | Mr Dennis K. | Vashon, Washington | 98070 | Apr 27, 2022 | ||
3,134 | Ms Kimberly K. | Vashon, King | 98070 | Apr 27, 2022 | ||
3,133 | Ms Sophia K. | Seattle, WA | 98146 | Apr 25, 2022 | ||
3,132 | Ms Kyla W. | Tacoma, WA | 98403 | Apr 17, 2022 | ||
3,131 | Ms Sharon G. | Friday Harbor, WA | 98250 | Apr 02, 2022 | ||
3,130 | Ms Sara S. | Scotts Valley, CA | 95066 | Mar 18, 2022 | ||
3,129 | Ms Janet J. | Olympia, WA | 98501 | Mar 07, 2022 | ||
3,128 | Mr Matt C. | SHELTON, WA | 98584-5823 | Mar 06, 2022 | ||
3,127 | Mx. Alex F. | Seattle, WA | 98103 | Mar 01, 2022 | ||
3,126 | Mr Charles C. | Bellevue, WA | 98007 | Mar 01, 2022 | ||
3,125 | Mr Andre C. | Seattle, WA | 98103 | Mar 01, 2022 | ||
3,124 | Ms Emilie B. | Toronto, Ontario | M5T0A9 | Feb 24, 2022 | ||
3,123 | Ms Alex K. | ON | Feb 24, 2022 | |||
3,122 | Ms Nika M. | Toronto , ON | M5V3Y3 | Feb 24, 2022 | ||
3,121 | Ms gabi g. | münchen, Bayern | 81927 | Feb 16, 2022 | ||
3,120 | Ms ralph r. | schwabmünchen | 86830 | Feb 16, 2022 | ||
3,119 | Ms bettina F. | stuttgart | 70374 | Feb 16, 2022 | ||
3,118 | Ms Sybille F. | Ulm, Deutschland | 89075 | Feb 16, 2022 | ||
3,117 | Ms Ashton H. | Oxley, QLD | 4075 | Jan 27, 2022 | ||
3,116 | Mrs Faith N. | Moncton , NB | E1c8j6 | Jan 14, 2022 | ||
3,115 | Ms Susanne W. | Calden , Hessen | 34379 | Jan 08, 2022 | ||
3,114 | Mrs Rheama K. | Depoe Bay, OR | 97341 | Dec 08, 2021 | ||
3,113 | Ms pluto r. | brisbane, qld | 4120 | Nov 20, 2021 | ||
3,112 | Ms Cara C. | Indianola, WA | 98342 | Nov 10, 2021 | ||
3,111 | Ms Susan P. | Dana Point, CA | 92629 | Oct 08, 2021 | ||
3,110 | Ms Ryam H. | Bellevue , WA | 98008 | Oct 06, 2021 | ||
3,109 | Ms Kristi W. | Bellevue, WA | 98006 | Oct 02, 2021 | ||
3,108 | Ms Amanda S. | Issaquah, WA | 98027 | Oct 01, 2021 | ||
3,107 | Ms Barbara J. | Manchester , Mo | 63021 | Oct 01, 2021 | ||
3,106 | Mrs Plamena T. | Northbrook, IL | 60062 | Oct 01, 2021 | ||
3,105 | Ms Rachel H. | Bellevue, WA | 98004 | Oct 01, 2021 | ||
3,104 | Ms Clara H. | Maple Valley, Washington | 98038 | Oct 01, 2021 | ||
3,103 | Ms Lisa G. | Woodstock, MD | 21163 | Sep 29, 2021 | ||
3,102 | Ms Summer M. | Seattle, WA | 98108 | Sep 29, 2021 | ||
3,101 | Ms Barbara K. | Port Townsend, WA | 98368 | Sep 29, 2021 | ||
3,100 | Ms Barbara B. | Baltimore , MD | 21239 | Sep 29, 2021 | ||
3,099 | Ms Linda B. | Sammamish, WA | 98074 | Sep 29, 2021 | ||
3,098 | Ms Oolaa k. | Bellevue, WA | 98008 | Sep 29, 2021 | ||
3,097 | Mr Trevor H. | Bellevue, WA | 98006 | Sep 29, 2021 | ||
3,096 | Ms Carol B. | Bellevue, WA | 98007 | Sep 29, 2021 | ||
3,095 | Ms Jennifer H. | Bellevue, Washington | 98006 | Sep 29, 2021 | ||
3,094 | Ms Virginia J. | Aug 28, 2021 | ||||
3,093 | Ms Dalia G. | athens | 18533 | Aug 27, 2021 | ||
3,092 | Mr Stavros S. | Nicosia, Please select | 2007 | Aug 23, 2021 | ||
3,091 | Ms Robbie H. | New York, NY | 10009 | Aug 23, 2021 | ||
3,090 | Mx. Heather J. | Denver, CO | 80219 | Aug 22, 2021 | ||
3,089 | Ms Daniela H. | Mülheim an der Ruhr, Deutschland | 45473 | Aug 21, 2021 | ||
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