Ape

Legal status

Human beings are the only ape recognized as persons and protected in law by the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html and by all governments, though to varying degrees. Chimpanzees, Gorillas and Orangutans are not classified as persons, which means that where their interests intersect with that of humans they have no legal status.

Related Topics:
Person - United Nations - Universal Declaration of Human Rights - Persons

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Many argue that the other apes cognitive capacity in-itself, as well as their close genetic relationship to human beings, dictates an acknowledgement of personhood. The Great Ape Project, founded by Australian philosopher Peter Singer, is campaigning to have the United Nations endorse its Declaration on Great Apes, which would extend to all species of chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans the protection of three basic interests: the right to life, the protection of individual liberty, and the prohibition of torture. http://www.greatapeproject.org/declaration.html

Related Topics:
Great Ape Project - Peter Singer - Declaration on Great Apes - Chimpanzee - Gorilla - Orangutan - Liberty - Torture

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~