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Panama's new law grants sea turtles the right to a pollution-free environment and recognizes their rights as living creatures. According to Erica Lyman, a clinical law professor and director of the Global Law Alliance for Animals, most wildlife protection laws are enacted based on perceived human benefits. However, Panama's law takes a different approach by prioritizing the needs of sea turtles and emphasizing the responsibility of humans to modify their behavior to accommodate those needs. These rights acknowledge their legal entitlement to exist and thrive, and the law permits lawsuits in case of any violations to these rights. The law enforces strict consequences for those disrupting sea turtle habitats, including canceling operating permits for irresponsible developers and tourism operators. It also prohibits all domestic and international commerce in sea turtles, parts, and eggs, except for subsistence use by select traditional communities.

sources:

https://apnews.com/article/sea-turtles-panama-animal-rights-world-turtle-day-44cb77ff472ef99cbac7667bce51d38a?fbclid=IwAR2pEIbatmT-GgLE44PYHawrwohtdfAncopdbJJWzb2-tYpPtFPi8gmkr7A

 

https://www.euronews.com/green/2023/05/26/turtle-power-panama-gives-legal-rights-to-sea-turtles-protecting-against-pollution-and-poa?fbclid=IwAR3lyw2qpZdxssOn9OiHymWGZLpTrI0ncDXMtRX4jRVgIzFPNJkomd0alXs