Her Royal Highness Princess Angelika Lātūfuipeka Tukuʻaho is calling for whales to have legal rights. She spoke at the One Ocean Science Congress held this week in France, asking world leaders to protect whales as living beings, not just animals or resources.
“The time has come to recognise whales not merely as resources but as sentient beings with inherent rights,” she said. She wants whales to have the right to life, culture, and protection under the law.
The Princess spoke on behalf of Tonga, the Pacific Islands, and the world. She was supported by the Huelo Matamoana Trust and other Pacific groups that work to protect the ocean and marine life.
This is part of the global “I’m a Person Too” campaign. The campaign asks governments to give whales legal personhood. More than 367,000 people around the world have already supported it.
The Princess’s speech brings together science and Indigenous knowledge. It sends a strong message that the Pacific can lead in ocean protection.
Many in Tonga and across the Pacific depend on the ocean. The success of this campaign would help protect whales for future generations. More talks and decisions are expected in the coming months.
