[WATCH] Activists want veterinary department to withdraw Mediterraneo's zoo licence

Animal Liberation Malta have written to the Veterinary Regulatory Department, questioning how despite Malta’s ban on animal circuses, Mediterraneo Park continues to operate under a zoo licence.

In the letter to Paul Portelli, Director of Veterinary Regulatory Department, ALM argued that Mediterraneo is a venue where marine mammals performed liked circus animals.

The activists accused Mediterraneo Marine Park of covering up the death of three dolphins in the span of a month. Working alongside two international dolphin and whale organisations; UK based Marine Connection and US based Dolphin Project, ALM revealed that the deaths occurred between August and September 2021.

“The dolphins at Mediterraneo Park specifically perform for the paying visitors or interact with them in swim with programmes, as well as having their photos taken,” ALM told Portelli.

It said that these activities fall under the category of a circus, as outlined in the definition of the Animal Welfare Act.

Chapter 439 defines a “circus” as a “place where animals are introduced for the purpose of performance, manoeuvres and shows or otherwise and shall include any place where animals used in such circuses are kept or trained”.

“As you are responsible for issuing the licence, we request that you refer to the Animal Welfare Act to ensure that that the section where it clearly states that an animal circus shall not be permitted to operate in Malta is immediately enforced,” ALM wrote to Portelli.

It explained that Greece has a similar legislation to Malta, that prohibits various kinds of animal performances. ALM said that in contrast to Malta, the operating licence for dolphins at the Attica Zoological Park had been revoked, as it violates their Animal Welfare Law.

“If Greek authorities have correctly categorized the dolphin park in Attika as a circus, why does your department consider Mediterraneo Park a zoo?” ALM asked Portelli.

Last week the animal welfare organisation also sent a letter to Alicia Bugeja Said, parliamentary secretary for animal welfare, calling for the withdrawal of Mediterraneo’s zoo licence.

Commissioner for Animal Welfare Alison Bezzina is leading an inquiry over how the Veterinary Regulations Directorate carried out the investigation into the case concerning the death of the dolphins.

The VRD confirmed with MaltaToday that “anatomic lesions compatible with lead poisoning” were identified as the cause of death during the necropsies of the dolphins. They also said that a veterinarian from Mediteranneo immediately contacted the Official Veterinarian, as soon as the first death occurred, and that an official declaration in writing was submitted within days.