Moviment Graffitti, Animal Liberation Malta and a number of other organisations are urging the public to join them in a protest against the Mediterraneo Marine Park on Saturday, 19 November 2022 at 10:30 am, to once again demand the revocation of the Park’s zoo licence and its permanent closure.
There will be a short march outside the Park’s perimeter, which will end near the park entrance. The starting point will be near the ice cream kiosk, on Triq il-Kosta, Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Map location can be seen here: https://goo.gl/maps/oEsw6tTFk33uEr8x8.
We are protesting because three of the Park’s dolphins died mysteriously last year, yet no action has been taken against the so-called Marine Park. The deaths were initially kept secret, with the park even claiming the dolphins had been transferred to Spain, according to Marine Connection UK. Finally, an investigation by the Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare this summer revealed that the three dolphins died of lead poisoning.
The death of these three dolphins is solely a result of the Park’s negligence. While Mediterraneo has claimed that this was a one-off accident, there have been eight other deceased dolphins, bringing the grim total to eleven dead dolphins.
This only proves that Mediterraneo Marine Park is nothing more than a poorly disguised circus, whose interests are solely financial. The Park has no role in conservation or rehabilitation, much less education. Dolphins should not be held in captivity for entertainment, nor should they be bred, bought or exchanged like a commodity. The shows and performances put on at the park are poorly entertaining circus acts, devoid of any educational aspect as claimed. Anyone wishing to see dolphins can do so with reputable sea-watching tours and respectfully enjoy bottlenose dolphins in their natural home.
As animal circuses have been banned since 2014, this park should not be allowed to continue operating. The authorities need to hold the Marine Park responsible for the deaths of these dolphins, revoke the zoo licence and close the park in order to stop these circus acts for good.
Il-Moviment Graffitti, Animal Liberation Malta u numru ta’ organizzazzjonijiet oħra qed iħeġġu lill-pubbliku jingħaqad magħhom fi protesta kontra l-Mediterraneo Marine Park nhar is-Sibt, 19 ta’ Novembru, 2022 fl-10:30 am., biex għal darb’oħra nitolbu r-revoka tal-liċenzja taż-żoo tal-Park u l-għeluq permanenti tiegħu.
Se ssir mixja qasira barra l-perimetru tal-Park, li tintemm ħdejn id-daħla tal-park. Il-punt tat-tluq se jkun ħdejn il-gabbana tal-ġelat, fi Triq il-Kosta, Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Il-lokazzjoni tal-mappa tinstab hawn: https://goo.gl/maps/oEsw6tTFk33uEr8x8.
Qegħdin nipprotestaw għax tlieta mid-dniefel tal-Park mietu b’mod misterjuż is-sena li għaddiet, iżda ma ttieħdet l-ebda azzjoni kontra l-hekk imsejjaħ Marine Park. L-imwiet inizjalment inżammu sigrieti, bil-park saħansitra jsostni li d-dniefel kienu ġew trasferiti lejn Spanja, skont Marine Connection UK. Fl-aħħarnett, investigazzjoni mill-Uffiċċju tal-Kummissarju għall-Ħarsien tal-Annimali dan is-sajf żvelat li t-tliet idniefel mietu b’avvelenament taċ-ċomb.
Il-mewt ta’ dawn it-tliet dniefel hija biss riżultat ta’ negliġenza tal-Park. Filwaqt li l-Mediterraneo sostna li dan kien inċident ta’ darba, kien hemm tmien dniefel oħra mejta, u b’hekk it-total makabru ta’ ħdax-il denfil mejjet.
Dan juri biss li Mediterraneo Marine Park mhu xejn għajr ċirklu moħbi ħażin, li l-interessi tiegħu huma biss finanzjarji. Il-Park m’għandu l-ebda rwol fil-konservazzjoni jew ir-riabilitazzjoni, wisq inqas l-edukazzjoni. Id-dniefel m’għandhomx jinżammu fil-magħluq għad-divertiment, u lanqas m’għandhom jitrabbew, jinxtraw jew jiġu skambjati bħal merkanzija. L-ispettakli u l-wirjiet li jsiru fil-park huma atti taċ-ċirklu li ma tantx huma divertenti u nieqsa minn kull aspett edukattiv. Kull min jixtieq jara d-dniefel jista’ jagħmel dan ma’ tours ta’ reputazzjoni tajba u b’rispett igawdi d-dniefel fl-ambjent naturali tagħhom.
Peress li ċ-ċirkli tal-annimali ilhom ipprojbiti mill-2014, dan il-park m’għandux jitħalla jkompli jopera. L-awtoritajiet jeħtieġ li jżommu lill-Marine Park responsabbli għall-imwiet ta’ dawn id-dniefel, jirrevokaw il-liċenzja taż-żoo u jagħlqu l-park sabiex dawn l-atti taċ-ċirklu jitwaqqfu darba għal dejjem.
