Animal Liberation Malta and Moviment Graffitti on Saturday morning held a demonstration in front of Mediterraneo Marine Park for global Empty the Tanks day.

40 demonstrations took place across the world, with Malta’s activity highlighting the several dolphin deaths at the Marine Park. This global event aims to educate the public in a productive manner.

The organisations reminded the Veterinary and Phytosanitary Regulation Division that the licence of the Mediterraneo Marine park has yet to be revoked. The establishment is clearly nothing more than a circus using animal performances for profit and the zoo licence should be revoked to stop any further dolphins being imported into Malta’s captivity.

11 dolphins have died under the park's responsibility, 3 in 2021 alone, the activists said. Despite this, the park continues to use them for shows and interaction programs on a daily basis. The organisations are continuously urging the authorities, public and education sectors to consider the wellbeing of the dolphins and other animals held in captivity. 

The park should stop these performances and interactions to protect the animal’s wellbeing, and work alongside experts and activists to explore their rehabilitation. Some young dolphins only know the confines of their tanks, and they deserve to live freely in the wild not as an entertainment prop. 

Dolphinariums are so outdated that many parks internationally have closed, and Malta should follow suit, the activists said. There is no need to imprison sentient beings for entertainment and money. We should be teaching people to respect wildlife in their natural habitat. Swimming with a captive dolphin that is performing forced behaviour due to food deprivation is not teaching respect - it is teaching dominance. 

"We reiterate our demands for the marine park’s zoo licence to be revoked, aiming to end animal entertainment once and for all. We hope that one day, Malta too, will empty the tanks," they said.