Chimpanzees and Dolphins: From Research Subjects to Legal Persons

Mary Lee Jensvold, PhD, Primate Communication Scientist and Associate Director, Fauna Foundation

Lori Marino, PhD, Neuroscientist, President of the Whale Sanctuary Project and of The Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy.

Chimpanzees and dolphins have been used extensively in research. Ironically for chimpanzees, it’s because of their close genetic relationship with humans, and for dolphins it’s because of their seemingly divergent relationship from humans.

Chimpanzees are used in invasive biomedical research as well as cognitive-behavioral studies. Captive dolphins are used primarily in cognition studies.

Drs. Marino and Jensvold have spent many years as researchers studying these large-brained, highly social and self-aware mammals. Each of them, independently, became scholar-advocates for their research subjects. Each of them used their scientific skills, expertise and experience to advocate for the protection, welfare and rights of their subjects. Both of them have come to the conclusion that these animals do not belong in captivity and that since they don’t have the survival skills to enable them to be returned to the wild, sanctuaries are the only ethical and practical way to give back what has been taken from them.

In this webinar Dr. Jensvold and Dr. Marino explore the parallel paths they have taken and discuss such topics as:

• How each of them became a scholar-advocate for the animals they study;
• What life is like for chimpanzees and dolphins in captive research;
• How certain chimpanzees and dolphins made a deep, personal impression on each of them;
• Their work to have these animals recognized as legal persons with certain fundamental rights;
• Why sanctuaries are the ethical alternative to cages and tanks.

Register for the webinar here.
Bring your questions or send them in advance by email.
And then join us on Thursday, November 19th at 3:30 pm EDT.