The law is critical for Panama as the country has the world’s most important nesting spots for leatherback sea turtles and hawksbill sea turtles|US Agency for International Development|CC0 1.0
A new law in Panama grants legal protection to nature, explicitly giving its abundant sea turtles the legal right to live and have free passage in a healthy environment.
Signed by Panamanian President Laurentino Cortizo Cohen in March, the law is critical for Panama as the country has the world’s most important nesting spots for leatherback sea turtles and hawksbill sea turtles. Around 3,000 hawksbill nests per year.
Apart from that, the legislation is remarkable because it considers sea turtles as living beings with rights, a cause that people in the ‘rights of nature’ movement have long been advocating for.
Wildlife conservationists and legal experts hope other countries follow suit.