In June 2008 the Spanish commission for the environment, agriculture, and fisheries declared its support for The Great Ape Project. The vote proposes granting rights to life, liberty, and protection from torture to nonhuman primates, specifically chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans. New Zealand and the UK have taken steps to protect great apes, but to date no national parliament has declared that any animal could be a person with rights.

The Spanish parliament proposal will allow great apes to be kept in captivity for purposes of conservation only, and even then only under optimal conditions for the apes. The resolution also recommends that Spain take steps in international forums to ensure that great apes are protected from maltreatment, slavery, torture and extinction.

It�s a significant move in the eyes of animal rightists. On the other hand there are those who are skeptical about moves declaring an animal to have rights equivalent to a human. It also seems paradoxical that while venturing forward with issues of animal rights, Spain is probably better known for controversies about a use of animals in entertainment that has been described as backward and barbaric � perhaps with animal interests as a focus, the Spanish parliament will take a harder look at the practice of bullfighting? Or, as has been suggested a couple of times, is this simply a thinly veiled political move attempting to divert attention from an activity where cultural heritage is used to continue state condoned cruelty?

�Great for the Apes � now what about the bulls� is the question?