G.O.A.T. of the week - WHALES GIVEN PERSONHOOD IDENTITY BY INDIGENOUS NATIONS (THE NEW YORK TIMES)

 

(Majestic Whales in the Deep Blue Sea : Image Source : The New York Times)

Given that human society generally only cares about things relating to humanity, this is incredible! We have a “speciesism” problem in our society nowadays where capitalism has reduced every living being into a commodity to be bought or sold. We even tend to do that to each other but putting all that aside, this article highlights the importance of treating beings that are much older than humanity with the reverence and respect they deserve. We are not the only species on planet Earth. Human arrogance will have people believing that we are, but we are not the only ones that matter. All life is sacred. The ripple effect from humanity’s hubris is unfathomable. When we go to war with each other and drop bombs, it is not just humans who suffer. What about all the domesticated animals living in people’s houses who were just murdered, just like that, because some idiot government is being a jackass? Like the ripples on a pond after throwing a stone in the center, everything and every being is affected by humanity’s nonstop ego problem. 

(Whale Skeleton Graveyard in Egypt : Image Source : Western Desert Tours) 

Did you know that whales have been around on planet Earth for at least 50 million years and that they originally were terrestrial animals (The Evolution of Whales)? Moreover, some of the oldest whale skeletons to have been found exist as a UNESCO Heritage Site in Wadi Al-Hitan aka Whale Valley in the western desert of Egypt (UNESCO World Heritage Centre). This area demonstrates the evolutionary leap from terrestrial to marine dwelling life. This ancestor shares a common ancestry with hippos and many other cloven-hoofed animals like giraffes, cows, pigs, deer, antelopes, camels, and sheep. It is important to feature this because it demonstrates how the world is more interconnected than most people think. Some humans think that the animals that live around us are just things to use for their own purposes but with all animals, whales especially, these majestic beings are highly intelligent and empathic, and they deserve our compassion. Whales have fine-tuned their communication to each other over millennia by using personalized whistles and infrasonic sounds which can travel long distances. It is used to find potential mates but to also convey loneliness and the desire for companionship.  

“The whales do not sing because they have an answer. They sing because they have a song.” - Gregory Colbert 

For the past few years, one whale alone has consistently been making the news of being the “loneliest whale in the world” (Georgiou) because he has been calling out for years and never gotten a reply. He roams the ocean as the only one of his kind, calling out for friends, calling out for a love he will never have, calling out for someone, just anyone, for nothing, to keep hearing silence. When you think you are having a difficult day or going through a particularly tough time in life, remember that at least you can find companionship by striking up a conversation with a random stranger and making a possible new friendship. This poor whale lives the most tragic and isolated existence. Still, he keeps swimming, he keeps calling and he keeps hoping.  

(Hvaldimir the Cutie : Image Source: RONproject) 

Another whale celebrity story comes from Norway where Hvaldimir was seeking sanctuary in 2021 after having escaped from the military and spy beluga whale training program of St. Petersburg, Russia. He was so used to being around humans that he just wanted to live free, so he found his new home in the harbour of Hammerfest, where the Norwegian Orca Survey and Fishery set up a program to ensure his survival (Nevett). A few years have gone by now and it is reported that he is free-swimming in the ocean and able to feed himself independently.  

“The least I can do is speak out for those whose cannot speak for themselves.” - Jane Goodall  

Whales have complex social structures, called pods, that usually have up to 20 members being a part of them. They use echolocation which helps them to determine how far away things are, but it also helps them to know where their pod members are and what they are saying to each other (Futterman). They have strong social interactions that include play, cooperation, learning, teaching each other, defending other whales outside of their pods from attacks, and carrying their deceased calves with them thereby denoting their extremely high emotional intelligence. They are purported to be even more intelligent than dogs, which is quite the complement as far as I am concerned because DOGS ARE LIFE! With their age spans encompassing 100-200 years, they have seen and experienced things that humans can only dream of.  

“I am in favor of animal rights as well as human rights. That is the way of a whole human being.” - Abraham Lincoln  

Did you know that every year, 20,000 whales die from being struck by boats in the ocean? (Steinmark) Not all of them are killed immediately upon impact either. It would be very much like some yahoo endangering everyone on the highway, striking your vehicle and you laying there, while all the blood slowly gushes out of your body, and you die a very painful and slow death. That’s not cool man! It has been suggested that if captains slowed their ships by at least 10 knots while traveling the open seas, many of these deaths could be prevented. 

“I have no fear of losing my life – if I have to save a koala or a crocodile or a kangaroo or a snake, mate, I will save it.” - Steve Irwin  

Did you know that apart from being majestic beings, whales also serve a greater role as part of the ocean’s ecosystem? “Throughout its lifetime, a whale captures the same amount of carbon as thousands of trees – with their waste an important fertilizer for phytoplankton – that when they die, they become carbon sinks that effectively locks the carbon away for hundreds of years” (Initiative) which means that keeping whale populations healthy and thriving could help combat the effects of human-caused climate change.  

(Māori Whale Art : Image Source : Vecteezy)

Finally, the reason this is so important beyond what is listed above is because the Māori and Tonga leadership which gave whales legal ‘personhood’ emphasize that once upon a time ago, “whales helped guide Polynesian ancestors across Oceania and therefore they are considered sacred treasures to our people” (Boucher and Smith). Recognizing their sentience while giving them legal rights and protections can help to enlighten humanity about its responsibility in being good stewards toward all life on planet Earth. We only have one planet, we are all in this together, and that includes our animal brothers and sisters!  

Sources:  

Abraham Lincoln Quote: “I Am in Favor of Animal Rights as Well as Human Rights. That Is the Way of a Whole Human Being.” quotefancy.com/quote/15193/Abraham-Lincoln-I-am-in-favor-of-animal-rights-as-well-as-human-rights-That-is-the-way-of. 

Boucher, Dinah Lewis, and Mackenzie Smith. “Whales Have Been Given Legal ‘personhood’ by Māori and Pacific Leaders. So What’s Next?” ABC Pacific, 9 Apr. 2024, www.abc.net.au/pacific/whales-given-legal-personhood-by-pacific-leaders/103681180. 

Futterman, Allison. “4 Ways Whales Show They Are Highly Intelligent Creatures.” Discover Magazine, 17 Jan. 2024, www.discovermagazine.com/planet-earth/4-ways-whales-show-they-are-highly-intelligent-creatures. 

Georgiou, Aristos. “World’s ‘Loneliest Whale’ Calls Out at a Frequency No Others Can Understand.” Newsweek, 12 July 2021, www.newsweek.com/loneliest-whale-search-52-documentary-joshua-zeman-1608749. 

GreetingIdeas. “30 Inspiring Whale Quotes and Sayings.” Greeting Ideas, 29 July 2022, greetingideas.com/best-whale-quotes-sayings. 

Initiative, Wwf Protecting Whales &. Dolphins. “For a Thriving Ocean: Collective Action to Protect Whales and Dolphins — WWF Protecting Whales and Dolphins Initiative.” WWF Protecting Whales & Dolphins Initiative, 7 June 2022, wwfwhales.org/news-stories/collective-action-to-protect-whales-and-dolphins. 

Nevett. “Hvaldimir: Seeking sanctuary for whale dubbed a Russian spy.” bbc.com, 9 May 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56956365. 

Steinmark, Ida Emilie. “Thousands of Whales Are Being Killed by Passing Ships. Can We Save Them?” The Guardian, 9 Apr. 2023, www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/09/whales-killed-passing-ships-save-alert-detection. 

Steve Irwin Quote: “I Have No Fear of Losing My Life – if I Have to Save a Koala or a Crocodile or a Kangaroo or a Snake, Mate, I Will Save ...” quotefancy.com/quote/1250894/Steve-Irwin-I-have-no-fear-of-losing-my-life-if-I-have-to-save-a-koala-or-a-crocodile-or. 

The Evolution of Whales. evolution.berkeley.edu/what-are-evograms/the-evolution-of-whales. 

“TOP 25 QUOTES BY JANE GOODALL (of 283) | A-Z Quotes.” A-Z Quotes, www.azquotes.com/author/5682-Jane_Goodall. 

Tumin, Remy. “In Move to Protect Whales, Polynesian Indigenous Groups Give Them ‘Personhood.’” The New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/03/29/world/australia/whale-personhood-polynesia-maori.html. 

UNESCO World Heritage Centre. Wadi Al-Hitan (Whale Valley) whc.unesco.org/en/list/1186. 

 Image Sources: 

Izzotti, Andrea. “Download the Māori Tribal Whale Sketch Polynesian Tattoo Pattern Illustration 23968192 Royalty-free Stock Pho...” Vecteezy, 13 Apr. 2024, www.vecteezy.com/photo/23968192-maori-tribal-whale-sketch-polynesian-tattoo-pattern-illustration-generative-ai. 

“Kayaker Thinks He’s Lost His Camera but Then This Beluga Whale Returns It - RONProject.” RONProject, 5 June 2021, ronproject.com/beluga-whale-returns-camera. 

Tumin, Remy. “In Move to Protect Whales, Polynesian Indigenous Groups Give Them ‘Personhood.’” The New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024, www.nytimes.com/2024/03/29/world/australia/whale-personhood-polynesia-maori.html. 

“Valley of the Whales (4 Days) | Western Desert Tours.” Western Desert Tours, www.westerndeserttours.com/tours-services/valley-of-the-whales-4-days.