A settlement under which a New Zealand mountain has been granted the same legal right as a person has become law after years of negotiations. It means Taranaki Maunga [Mt Taranaki] will effectively own itself, with representatives of the local tribes, iwi, and government working together to manage it.

A mountain in New Zealand considered an ancestor by Indigenous people has been recognized as a legal person after a new law granted it all the rights and responsibilities of a human being.

A mountain in New Zealand has been granted the same legal rights as a person, becoming the third natural feature in the country to be recognised as an individual. Mount Taranaki – now known as Taranaki Maunga, its Maori name – is considered an ancestral being by indigenous people.