A powerful new campaign Waves Not Walls is calling for an immediate end to marine mammal captivity and urging authorities to take action over conditions at Mediterraneo Marine Park.
The campaign, led by Earth Systems Association, Animal Liberation Malta, Friends of the Earth Malta, Marine Connection, Dolphin Project, and TideBreakers, is demanding change after disturbing footage and whistleblower reports revealed the dire conditions in which dolphins are being kept at the facility.
Currently, five dolphins remain at Mediterraneo, where activists say they are trapped in small, barren tanks, forced to perform and deprived of proper care. The campaign is pushing back against what it describes as unethical practices, calling it “confinement, not conservation.”
“This park has been criticised on multiple levels for years — including the limited and artificial living conditions of the animals, their exploitation in shows for profit, and the lack of transparency regarding their physical and mental health,” said Justine Previ, campaign coordinator and member of Earth Systems Association.
“The tide is turning — we’re seeing growing public outrage on social media against this establishment. People no longer accept seeing dolphins perform tricks in shallow pools,” added Katya Borg, from Animal Liberation Malta.
Backed by marine biologists and international conservation groups, Waves Not Walls is demanding:
An independent investigation into the welfare conditions at the park
Stricter legislation on the breeding, importation, and public interaction with marine mammals
Support for sea sanctuaries as ethical alternatives
The revocation of Mediterraneo’s zoo licence, citing the Animal Welfare Act and Malta’s ban on circuses involving animal performances
Activists also hand-delivered a letter to the Minister for Agriculture and Animal Rights Anton Refalo, Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said, and Animal Welfare Director Joseph John Vella, outlining their concerns, evidence, and demands.
The campaign is calling on the public, schools, tourism operators, and authorities to reject dolphin shows and marine mammal captivity in Malta.