A new report from the UK has found that octopuses, crabs, and lobsters possess sentience and can experience pain. These species are the latest additions to the list of sentient beings recognized in the UK.
According to CNN, the report was conducted by experts from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) under the commission of the UK Government.
The experts reviewed 300 scientific studies to assess the evidence of sentience in these species. They concluded that cephalopods (octopuses, squids) and decapod crustaceans (shrimp, crabs) should be treated as sentient beings.
Octopuses, crabs, and lobsters also have sentience and can feel pain – (Photo: CNN).
The new report asserts that lobsters and crabs should not be boiled alive and suggests best practices for their transportation and slaughter.
The experts utilized eight different criteria to measure the sentience of these animals, including: learning ability, the number of pain receptors, the connections between these receptors and certain brain regions, responses to anesthetics or painkillers, and other behaviors indicating sentience.
These behaviors include weighing threats against opportunities, or balancing between fighting and injury, and threats.
They found evidence suggesting that octopuses have a “very strong” level of sentience, while most crab species exhibit “strong” sentience.
For other animals in this group, such as squids, cuttlefish, and lobsters, evidence indicates they have significant but not strong sentience.
However, the report also notes that the differences in the evidence may arise from varying levels of scientific interest in each species.
Currently, vertebrates have been included in the list of sentient beings in an animal rights bill being debated in the UK.
“The Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill will ensure the rights of these animal species are fully considered in the legislative process. Science has proven that cephalopods and decapod crustaceans can feel pain, and therefore they need to be included in this bill,” stated UK Environment Minister Zac Goldsmith.
If passed, this bill will help establish a Sentient Animals Committee. This committee will be responsible for reporting on how government decisions have taken into account the welfare of sentient animals.
This is also part of the UK Government’s Action Plan for Animal Welfare.
