Protest to end ‘captive trade’

After their last protest held at the Triton Fountain in Floriana, Animal Liberation Malta (ALM) have moved onto their next objective – the ‘captive trade’.

A group of 20 protestors marched down to the Mediterraneo Marine Park in Baħar iċĊagħaq, carrying various signs, including ones which stated ‘End Dolphin Captivity’, ‘Stop the killing’, and ‘Dolphins are dying to entertain you’.

Animal rights activists have been hard at work over the past few months, keeping a watchful eye on the various aspects of animal welfare on our island. Following the horse-drawn carriage (karozzin) incidents, fireworks next to Filfa, illegal hunting, and now a marine park, they make their demands clear on social media and occasionally by ways of assembly.

“Basically, confining marine mammals like whales, dolphins, seals, and sea lions, is wrong and we just think they belong in the sea. They should not be confined to tanks.”

The chlorinated water also leads to the physical harm of the animals, with foreign reports claiming that some dolphins are no longer able to open their eyes and that their skin begins to peel off.

As with the karozzin protest, an outright ban is not what’s being asked for. A transitional phase, whereby the breeding of animals at parks is prohibited, is what they are after, especially considering that they would not be able to be released into the wild due to them having been reared at the park.

“We want to raise awareness, push towards the end of breeding animals in captivity, and also protest the importation of animals to such places.”