Life for the five male bottlenose dolphins – Sol, Ninu, Cha, Rohan, and Luqa – held at Mediterraneo Marine Park in Malta, remains devoid of the complexity and stimulation essential for their psychological and physical well-being. Confined to artificial environments and subjected to repetitive, unnatural performances, these intelligent marine mammals endure conditions that fall far short of acceptable animal welfare standards.
Although Mediterraneo Marine Park operates under a zoo licence, the dolphins are routinely made to perform tricks for paying audiences in swim-with programs, staged photo sessions, and public shows. These activities meet the legal definition of a circus under Section 31C of Malta’s Animal Welfare Act, which prohibits:
“Any exhibition put on by exhibitors for profit and viewed by the public for entertainment which offers amusement and display, and where animals are made to perform tricks or manoeuvres, which do not reflect their natural behaviour or does not offer any educational value.”
Under this legislation, the Maltese authorities have the legal grounds to revoke the zoo licence, shut down the dolphin performance operations, and relocate the animals to more suitable environments – ideally, sea pens or an accredited sanctuary. Yet, despite repeated appeals and mounting evidence, authorities continue to ignore their obligation to enforce the law.
This inaction is all the more troubling given the facility’s long-standing record of welfare concerns. As documented by Marine Connection, three dolphins previously held at the park died from lead poisoning—an appalling failure of care that highlights the broader systemic neglect. Such tragedies are not isolated; conditions at the facility remain inadequate.
When concerns were formally raised with the Head of Animal Welfare and Principal Veterinary Officer at the now-disbanded Veterinary Regulation Directorate (VRD), he astonishingly described the conditions as “adequate.” Meanwhile, Costa Edutainment—the Italian company that managed the park until late 2023 and still maintains an interest in its operation—was urged to intervene. Despite Marine Connection’s outreach earlier this year, the company has failed to take meaningful action.
Marine Connection remains committed to ensuring Malta’s animal welfare laws are upheld. The continued exploitation of dolphins in circus-style shows is not only ethically indefensible but also legally challengeable.
