Tahlequah, grieving mother orca, has released her deceased child to the ocean, after carrying the calf for an unprecedented 17 days. Her ceremony of grief lifted up the results of environmental destruction, while the human world watched and mourned from around the globe.

Chinook salmon habitat restoration can help prevent the extinction of this culturally significant species by preserving their main source of food.

However, there will only be more Tahlequahs, from thousands of species, until we dive deeper. TIME Magazine can help change the conversation about life on earth.

Killer whales and other dolphins are classified as non-human persons. TIME should recognize Tahlequah as 2018 Person of the Year to honor her grief, elevate the status of non-human persons and help bring balance back to the web of life.