Animal Welfare and Indigenous Rights: Finding Common Ground

Indigenous communities often have deep traditional relationships with animals, and animal welfare advocacy must engage respectfully with these rights and practices.

Key Facts

Many indigenous communities have cultural relationships with animals embedded in spiritual and subsistence traditions
Indigenous hunting rights are recognised in international law including ILO Convention 169 and UNDRIP
Some indigenous whaling rights are recognised under IWC exemptions including Alaskan and Greenlandic communities
Conservation organisations have historically dispossessed indigenous communities in the name of wildlife protection
Collaborative indigenous-led conservation models often produce better outcomes for both communities and wildlife
Traditional ecological knowledge held by indigenous communities can inform conservation and welfare interventions

Welfare Considerations

Animal welfare advocacy that ignores or dismisses indigenous rights and practices risks perpetuating colonial harm. At the same time, subsistence practices that cause animal suffering warrant respectful dialogue about welfare improvements. Effective advocacy recognises indigenous sovereignty and traditional ecological knowledge while supporting collaborative approaches to reducing unnecessary animal suffering. Cultural sensitivity and power-awareness are essential in this space.

What You Can Do

Learn about indigenous relationships with animals in your region and globally
Support indigenous-led conservation and land management initiatives
Engage respectfully with indigenous communities on animal welfare rather than imposing external standards
Advocate for colonial dispossession in conservation to be recognised and addressed
Support organisations that work collaboratively with indigenous communities on welfare and conservation