Watch: Protestors Demand Mediterraneo Park Close Down For Good – ‘Don’t Be Fooled By The Dolphins’ Smiles’
Protestors gathered outside the Mediterraneo Marine Park this morning to call for the revocation of its license and the freedom of its dolphins.
Led by NGOs, including Moviment Graffitti, Animal Liberation Malta and Real Animal Rights, the protestors chanted ‘Set Them Free’ as they marched to the park’s entrance.
“Three dolphins died under mysterious circumstances last year and the veterinary authorities tried to pass it off as a simple incident, concealing information and allowing the marine park to keep operating without any consequences at all,” activist Claria Cutajar said.
“It was only when the Animal Welfare Commissioner stepped in to investigate that we found out last summer that they died of lead poisoning.”
She said the authorities shouldn’t treat the marine park as a zoo but as an animal circus, which have been banned in Malta since 2014.
“Just because Mediterraneno doesn’t have a tent and doesn’t move from place to place doesn’t lessen its impact on the animals caught inside,” she warned. “It’s absurd that it is licensed as a zoo seeing as dolphin shows take place on a regular basis.”
“The park claims it is raising awareness on dolphins but the only lesson to be learned from it is that these creatures should be living in the wild. There is nothing natural or educational about these circus acts, and if people want to enjoy dolphins, they can take a tour and enjoy them in their natural habitat.”
Although Mediterraneo’s dolphins have been bred in captivity, Cutajar said that NGOs like Marine Connection and Dolphin Project can help rehabilitate them into the wild.
Katya Borg warned that there is nothing natural about the way dolphins behave in the marine park.
“It isn’t natural for a dolphin to blow kisses, wave at people and pose for selfies. It’s natural for them to hunt in packs, teach their young how to hunt, and swim for up to 30km in a day. Some people think that just because the dolphins are smiling, it means they are happy, but the truth is they are suffering and are denied food to obey their trainers’ orders.”
Romina Frendo ended the protest with an appeal to the general public to boycott the park.
“This is medieval – instead of sacrificing animals on stone altars, they are being sacrificed in concrete tanks. Would you like to see your children swim with prisoners? Do you want them to enjoy seeing psychologically broken animals? What’s the fun in buying tickets to prolong their suffering? Open your eyes and join us in our cry to close the park down.”
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