A new law guarantees sea turtles in Panama the right to live and have free passage in a healthy environment. 

It “will allow any Panamanian citizen to be the voice of sea turtles and defend them legally,” says Callie Veelenturf, who founded a group that works to protect leatherback turtles and pushed for the legislation.

“We will be able to hold governments, corporations and public citizens legally accountable for violations of the rights of sea turtles.”

Experts hope it’s part of an evolution that will see other countries take similar steps to protect species under threat.

Whether the thinking behind Panama‘s law spreads more widely or not, it offers critical help for the country’s sea turtles. Panama has some of the most important nesting spots in the world for leatherback sea turtles and hawksbill sea turtles. One beach area has about 3,000 hawksbill nests per year.