The Rights and Voice of

Southern Resident Orcas

Rights of Southern Resident Orcas: We are calling for the recognition of the inherent rights of the Southern Resident Orcas and the ecosystems upon which they depend, and to take immediate actions to protect and restore the Orcas’ rights by addressing their main threats to survival. This effort builds from a global movement to recognize Nature and all its species as rights holders, with intrinsic value. Have questions on what this means? Check out our FAQ!

Guardianship of Southern Resident Orcas and Other Living Entities: We support creating a legal guardianship body for Southern Resident Orcas and other natural entities in the Pacific Northwest–even for the Salish Sea itself. As applied to Orcas, legal guardians would be required to represent the Orcas’ best interests and would serve as the human face and voice of Orcas in a wide variety of legal contexts, allowing them to be represented in decision-making that affects their health. Similar models could be created for other species and ecosystems. Legal guardianship bodies for Nature exist in New Zealand (Aotearoa), Colombia, Spain, and even the United States (Nederland, CO).

Recent Wins: We are gaining momentum! Since December 2022, in Washington, Port Townsend, Gig Harbor, Langley, Bainbridge Island, and Des Moines, along with Pierce, Jefferson, and San Juan Counties have now passed proclamations supporting the recognition of the rights of the Orcas! Outside of Washington, Depoe Bay, OR, and Arcata, CA, have passed their own proclamations. You can see all the proclamations here.

Acknowledgment: We also want to acknowledge that Salish Indigenous Peoples have an ancient relationship with the Southern Resident Orcas, recognizing that their well-being is an indicator of our own.  For example, the Lhaq'temish people of the Lummi Nation, Indigenous Peoples on the coast of northern Washington and southern British Columbia, consider the orca as "qwe'lhol'mechen," which roughly translates to "our relatives under the water."

The Southern Residents have inherent rights to: 

See our legal presentation on Rights of Nature, the Southern Resident Orcas, and the Salish Sea.

Additionally, we support the movement to breach the lower Snake River Dams. The Orcas are starving with a lack of primary prey- Chinook salmon. ELC team member Elizabeth Dunne, helped draft People’s Recommendation 74, a recommendation presented by the people directly to Governor Inslee at a rally on November 16, 2018, at the capitol with over 200 people. Recommendation 74 recognizes the Southern Residents’ right to life, including to their naturally occurring food source of Chinook salmon from the lower Snake River. You can also read our partner, Howard Garrett’s comment letter (Orca Network) on the need to breach the dams here.

For more information, contact info@earthlaw.org. 

You can help by subscribing to our newsletter, volunteering, or donating to Earth Law Center.

 A special thank you to Legal Rights for the Salish Sea, the Northwest Animal Rights Network, and others who contributed to these important successes.