‘Fish Boiling Under The Hot Sun’: Pembroke Gardens Stream Needs Immediate Upkeep To Protect An Ecosystem
A number of animals are at risk of harm in a Pembroke Gardens artificial “stream” left in a stagnant state, according to a local animal rights activist.
“They’re struggling to live. There’s a little bit of water but it doesn’t overflow so it gets hot – and they cook,” said Swieqi resident and animal rights activist Steffie Cassar Torreggiani, in a video portraying the stream’s lack of flowing water.
Almost a month ago, Swieqi resident Cassar Torreggiani was walking through Pembroke Gardens when she noticed that the fish living in an artificial multi-level pond were “boiling under the hot sun” as water levels had dropped.
The not-so-babbling brook’s flow was completely stagnant due to water levels dropping, and there was no overflow from upper stacked pools into those below.
Being an animal rights activist with a passion for “caring for our planet and helping rescued animals,” Torreggiani took it upon herself to feed the animals before reporting the issue to Pembroke City Council.
She was redirected to the Malta Tourism Authority, who sent staff to top up water levels, and who explained that there had been an issue with a timer which switched on the artificial stream’s pump.
Almost a month later, Cassar Torreggiani received a phone call from a friend who was passing by, informing her that the fish were once again “in a sorry state”.
It is important that upkeep continues throughout the coming months – as it is unfortunately common for fish in ponds to suffer as temperatures rise.
“I bought fish food and went by to feed them,” Cassar Torreggiani told Lovin Malta. “Some ongoing maintenance and care needs to take place.”
During this latest visit, almost a month after first flagging the animal welfare issue with the relevant authorities, Cassar Torreggiani filmed a video showing the current state of this stream.
“I came to feed the fish because I heard that obviously there’s a dilemma here. Fish over here trapped in an area where there’s no overflow. They’re trapped in stagnant water,” she can be heard saying while sharing scenes of several stacked ponds of stagnant water.
Google Streetview images of the park from 2016 - when the stream's pumps were up and running
“This is Malta. We don’t give a bloody shit. Dry, dry, dry. MTA you should be ashamed of yourselves. It’s sad to see them, you can see that they’re struggling.”
The avid animals rights activist – who once climbed Mount Everest – continued, and showed that it wasn’t just fish being affected.
“Obviously, when the sun is directly on them they suffer. And there are turtles now, too . They weren’t here before. When there’s no water they run away, and then they come back. What are we gonna do about it?”
Lovin Malta reached out to the Malta Tourism Authority – which is responsible for maintaining this park, and taking care of the animals within it – to ask about how they intend to move forward and address these concerns, but did not receive a response in time for the publication of this article.
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