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Tuheitia Potatau Te Ferofero VII, King of New Zealand's Maori people, issued a statement that whales should have the same legal rights as humans. By signing the Declaration of the Sea, he called for a new system to protect these ocean giants. This was reported by MIR 24 with reference to Voxy.
The declaration, supported by Polynesian community leaders, is a comprehensive plan to protect the whales. She proposes two key steps: creating marine reserves and integrating traditional knowledge and science.
In addition, whales should be recognized as “legal persons with inalienable rights.” This means that they will have the right to freedom of movement, to live in a healthy environment, to preserve their culture and to restore the population.
“The sound of our ancestress's song has faded and her habitat is threatened, so we must act now. The Declaration of the Sea is a halo of protection for our treasure, our ancestors – the whales,” the New Zealand portal Voxy quotes the Maori king as saying.