Oysters belong in the sea, not on our plates

‘Every day, we learn more about the other species with whom we share the planet – and we find that they are more intelligent, sensitive, and empathetic than we had previously realised.’ Photograph: Cole Burston/The Guardian

Vegan or not, we should all leave oysters in the ocean, where they belong (‘I’ll have them with hot sauce’: should vegans eat oysters?, 12 September).

Without obvious legs or faces, oysters and other bivalves, such as scallops and clams, may appear less animal-like than other shellfish, but that doesn’t make them any less worthy of our consideration.