‘Close Down Mediterraneo Marine Park’: Activists Demand Closure Of ‘Dolphin Prison’
Activists are demanding the closure of the Mediterraneo Marine Park in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, which has often been described as a “dolphin prison”.
The demands will be made during a press conference planned for this weekend by Moviment Graffitti and Animal Liberation Malta, in front of the Veterinary and Phytosanitary Regulation Division.
“Let’s put a stop to this before there can be more deaths of these incredible intellectual creatures,” activists urged.
“Join us at 10:30am on Saturday 22nd October, in a press conference where we will be demanding the closure of the Mediterraneo Marine Park, in order to end the capturing, training and mistreatment of dolphins, which ultimately led to the demise of three of them last year.”
When three dolphins that were under the responsibility of the marine park died last year, it was concluded by the VRD that the deaths were “pure accident”.
However, the Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare’s investigation concluded that the VRD’s own investigation was only carried out after the Commissioner’s inquiries, nine months after the dolphins’ deaths.
Before February 2022, “no event-specific measures were taken by the VRD, and the Mediterraneo Marine Park was allowed to go about its business as usual”.
The Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare then concluded that “a degree of negligence was involved on more than one occasion,” as attested to by the park’s own statement.
“We refuse to accept this negligence.”
This comes just days after a new set of hard-hitting graffiti popped up leading to Malta’s marine park in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq, reading “empty the tanks” and “welcome to dolphin prison”.
Lovin Malta has been conducting research into dolphins in captivity, focusing on various aspects such as life in captivity and why dolphins are not happy living such a life.
READ NEXT: Gozo Fast Ferries Struggle Compared To Channel Operators, Who Dominated Trips In Summer
