Moviment Graffitti, Animal Liberation Malta, Association for Abandoned Animals (AAA), Island Sanctuary, Animal Protectors Malta, Nature Trust Malta, Real Animal Rights Foundation (RAR), Extinction Rebellion Malta, Animal Guardians Malta, CSAF, Dolphin Project, Marine Connection UK, MSPCA, Noah’s Ark Sanctuary, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar and BICREF are collaborating to demand that the zoo licence of Mediterraneo Marine Park is revoked and ultimately, the park closed.

After the shocking news of the gross negligence by the park, which cost the life of three dolphins, and the shameful actions of the Veterinary and Phytosanitary Regulation Division (VRD), the mentioned NGOs feel the need to raise their voices.

The organisations fail to understand how the government was bold enough to ban animal circuses in 2014 but continues to issue the licence for Mediterraneo to operate under the pretext of a zoo, when clearly the Marine Park offers constant circus-like animal performances. It is unacceptable that the Marine Park is allowed to stay open and operate, despite the fact that the animals in the park are treated like circus animals forced to perform for entertainment and profit, and especially with the news of the deaths of these three dolphins, which could have easily been avoided were it not for the negligence shown at the Marine Park. 

The Veterinary and Phytosanitary Regulation Division (VRD) concluded that the deaths were “a pure accident”, telling the Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare that they fell victim to poisoning from lead pellets that entered their tank “presumably from diving equipment gear, abandoned in the sea near the aspiration valves outside the tank”. This claim was contradicted by the Marine Park, which admitted that lead pellets were introduced to the dolphins’ tank by a sub-contracted diver and a strictly prohibited backwash procedure caused them to enter the tank. In the most egregious fashion, then, the VRD lied to the Commissioner for Animal Welfare to cover up the negligence and outright illegalities conducted by the Marine Park, despite the Park’s own admission.

To make things worse, the Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare’s investigation concluded that the VRD’s own “fleeting and cursory” investigation was only carried out after the Commissioner’s inquiries and countless emails sent, nine months after the dolphins’ deaths. The investigation revealed that the VRD did absolutely nothing in response to the three dolphins’ deaths, allowing the Marine Park to “go about its business as usual” up until it was time to conduct the basic inspection necessary to re-issue its licence. It further concluded that “a degree of negligence was involved on more than one occasion,” as attested to by the park’s own statement.

Considering the proven and self-admitted negligence at the park leading to the deaths of these three dolphins, and the objectionable use of these captured animals as entertainment while operating under a misleading zoo licence, we call on the VRD and the Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Welfare, Alicia Bugeja Said, to take responsibility, revoke the zoo licence and close the doors of Mediterraneo Marine Park. Additionally, we want an immediate stop to the importation, breeding and exploitation of dolphins that are being held in captivity and to prevent further deaths, abuse, and negligence. 

The Maltese authorities should follow the precedent set by their Greek counterparts within the Prefecture of Attica, who revoked the operating licence of the marine mammal facility for dolphins at Attica Zoological Park. In Greece, just as in Malta, the law prohibits all kinds of animal performances, including shows in zoological parks.

Our suggestion is to change this establishment into a rehabilitation centre for aquatic creatures with the location of the park being perfect for this use due to its proximity to the coast. Malta would have the opportunity to create a foundation of marine animal care, while the remaining dolphins should have the opportunity to be rehoused in a sea pen to live a more natural life and to stop being used and exploited as a form of entertainment.

Our demands should be considered and discussed further with Maltese authorities and cetacean experts, to bring an end to the circus-like performances and mistreatment of wildlife. 

Agħlqu l-Mediterraneo Marine Park!

Il-Moviment Graffitti, Animal Liberation Malta, Association for Abandoned Animals (AAA), Island Sanctuary, Animal Protectors Malta, Nature Trust Malta, Real Animal Rights Foundation (RAR), Extinction Rebellion Malta, Animal Guardians Malta, CSAF, Dolphin Project, Marine Connection UK, MSPCA, Noah’s Ark Sanctuary, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar u BICREF qed jikkollaboraw biex jitolbu li l-liċenzja li biha l-Mediterraneo Park jopera bħala zoo tiġi revokata u eventwalment biex jingħalaq il-Park.

Wara l-aħbar xokkanti tan-negligenza kbira min-naħa tal-park, li swiet il-hajja ta’ tliet dniefel, u l-azzjonijiet tal-mistħija tad-Diviżjoni tar-Regolamentazzjoni Veterinarja u Fitosanitarja (VRD), l-NGOs imsemmija jħossu l-bżonn li jsemmgħu leħinhom.

L-organizzazzjonijiet ma jistgħux jifhmu kif il-gvern kien kuraġġuż biżżejjed biex jipprojbixxi iċ-ċirkli tal-annimali fl-2014, filwaqt li jkompli joħroġ l-permess lil Mediterraneo sabiex jopera b’liċenzja ta’ zoo, minkejja li l-Marine Park joffri wirjiet tal-annimali għad-divertiment bħal taċ-ċirkli, bl-iskuża li huwa zoo. Hija inaċċettabbli li l-Marine Park jitħalla jibqa’ miftuħ u jopera, minkejja li l-annimali fil-park huma ttrattati bħal annimali taċ-ċirku sfurzati biex jagħtu wirjiet għad-divertimenti u għall-qligħ, u speċjalment b’din l-aħbar tal-imwiet tat-tliet dniefel li setgħu faċilment jiġu evitati li kieku ma kinitx għan-negliġenza tal-Marine Park.

Id-Diviżjoni tar-Regolament Veterinarju u Fitosanitarju (VRD) ikkonkludiet li l-imwiet kienu “inċident”, u qalet lill-Uffiċċju tal-Kummissarju għall-Ħarsien tal-Annimali li sfaw vittmi ta’ avvelenament minn pritkuni taċ-ċomb li daħlu fit-tank tagħhom “preżumibbilment minn tagħmir tal-għadis, abbandunat fil-baħar ħdejn il-valvi tal-aspirazzjoni barra t-tank”. Il-Marine Park ikkontradixxa dan u ammetta li fit-tank tad-dniefel ġew introdotti gerbub taċ-ċomb minn bugħaddas sottokuntrattat, u proċedura ta’ backwash li  hi strettament projbita wasslithom biex jidħlu fit-tank. Bl-aktar mod egreġjuż, allura, il-VRD gidbet lill-Kummissarju għall-Ħarsien tal-Annimali biex tgħatti n-negliġenza u l-illegalitajiet sfaċċati mwettqa mill-Marine Park, minkejja l-ammissjoni tal-Park stess.

Biex tgħaxxaq, l-investigazzjoni tal-Uffiċċju tal-Kummissarju għall-Ħarsien tal-Annimali ikkonkludiet li l-investigazzjoni ta’ malajr u żbaljata tal-VRD stess saret biss wara l-inkjesti tal-Kummissarju u għadd ta’ emails mibgħuta, disa’ xhur wara l-mewt tad-dniefel. L-investigazzjoni żvelat li l-VRD ma għamlet assolutament xejn b’reazzjoni għall-imwiet tat-tliet dniefel u ppermettiet lill-Marine Park li jkompli jopera “business as usual” sakemm wasal iż-żmien li jagħmel l-ispezzjoni bażika meħtieġa biex terġa’ toħroġ il-liċenzja. Ikkonkludiet ukoll li xi tip ta’ negliġenza kienet involuta f’aktar minn okkażjoni waħda, kif attestat mid-dikjarazzjoni tal-Park stess.

Meta wieħed iqis in-negliġenza ppruvata u ammessa mill-park li wasslet għall-mewt ta’ dawn it-tliet dniefel, u l-użu oġġezzjonabbli ta’ dawn l-annimali maqbuda għad-divertiment waqt li joperaw taħt liċenzja taż-żoo qarrieqa, nappellaw lill-VRD u lis-Segretarju Parlamentari għas-Sajd, Aquaculture u Animal Welfare, Alicia Bugeja Said, biex tieħu r-responsabbiltà tirrevoka l-liċenzja taż-żoo u tagħlaq il-bibien tal-Mediterraneo Marine Park. Barra minn hekk, irridu li tieqaf immedjatament l-importazzjoni, it-trobbija u l-isfruttament tad-dniefel li qed jinżammu fi skjavitù u biex jiġu evitati aktar imwiet, abbuż u negliġenza.

L-awtoritajiet Maltin għandhom isegwu l-preċedent stabbilit mill-kontropartijiet Griegi tagħhom fi ħdan il-Prefettura ta’ Attica, li rrevokaw il-liċenzja tal-operat tal-faċilità tal-mammiferi marini għad-dniefel f’Attica Zoological Park. Fil-Greċja, bħal f’Malta, il-liġi tipprojbixxi kull tip ta’ wirjiet tal-annimali, inkluż wirjiet f’parks żooloġiċi.

Is-suġġeriment tagħna huwa li dan l-istabbiliment jinbidel f’ċentru ta’ riabilitazzjoni għall-ħlejjaq akkwatiċi, anki għax il-pożizzjoni tiegħu hija perfetta għal dan l-użu minħabba li jinsab qrib il-baħar. Malta jista’ jkollha l-opportunità li toħloq pedament għall-ħarsien tal-annimali tal-baħar, filwaqt li d-dniefel li fadal fil-park għandhom ikollhom l-opportunità li jingħataw post mill-ġdid fi pjuma tal-baħar sabiex jgħixu ħajja aktar naturali u jieqfu jiġu użati u sfruttati għad-divertiment.

Dawn it-talbiet għandhom jiġu kkunsidrati u diskussi aktar mill-awtoritajiet Maltin u minn esperti taċ-ċetaċji, sabiex jitwaqqfu l-wirjiet bħal taċ-ċirkli u l-maltrattament tal-annimali selvaġġi.