Spain Passes Ape Rights Bill

Spanish Parliament passed a resolution promising fundamental “human” rights to the great apes, the Guardian reports. The bill enjoys wide support and would ban scientific experimentation involving higher-level primates. Zoo exhibition will still be legal, but supporters say living conditions will improve significantly. The legislative body was inspired by philosopher Peter Singer’s Great Apes Project, a primate advocacy group.

"This is a historic day in the struggle for animal rights and in defense of our evolutionary comrades which will doubtless go down in the history of humanity," said the Spanish director of GAP. "We have no knowledge of great apes being used in experiments in Spain, but there is currently no law preventing that from happening.'' (More apes stories.)