Tom Larkins, Essex, England
Dolphins' conditions
Thank you for your report about the conditions for animals at the Mediterraneo Marine Park (The Sunday Times, August 3). Dolphins belong with their families and companions swimming freely in their rightful ocean home, not in cramped, ugly tanks.
Our fascination with these intelligent, graceful, and affable marine mammals is no excuse for depriving them of their freedom and forcing them to 'interact' with us. People who patronise a swim-with programme can go home, but the dolphins are there until their dying day. When your tourist memories fade, the dolphins will still be confined, doing the same old routines for yet more curious customers.
As long as anyone buys a ticket for these exploitative and cruel operations, dolphins will continue to suffer and die.
11 Comments
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Denis Catania
Aug 11th 2008, 00:07
I don't know about Malta or the UK. But in the US such places use most of their profits to fund rescue projects for such animals. They also use the profits for research and prevention of diseases they may acquire due to our(human) pollutions. So yes some of them are suffering, but at the end they are helping their species. Sea world donates and researches more than all governments in the world put together. This is a fact. If you would close the Sea worlds down you will kill a lot of sea life within a 50 years, with all the pollution humans put out. This place in Malta probably contributes zero to research.
If you would ask 1,000,000 to donate $20 for animal research, you won't get it. If you ask 1.000,000 to come and see animals for $20 you will get 2,000,000 to come.In the US this why they have such places.
isabella peresso fiorentino
Aug 10th 2008, 22:29
whether an animal is in a zoo, dolphinarium, circus, or in any other confinement in any part of the world,away from their natural habitat is cruel and should be condemned at all costs and anybody who visits these places is participating in the sufferring which these animals go through. Unfortunately its all to do about money, and people exploiting animals.
Karl Consiglio
Aug 10th 2008, 18:34
Consider the chlorine in their eyes poor dolphins as they live in this pool. No wonder they go blind, they cannot shut or rub their eyes from it.
Miriam Williams
Aug 10th 2008, 17:43
Why is it that the only argument some people seem to be able to present is, that because cruelty occurs in another country, it is permissible for us to be cruel to animals? Like Mr J J Camilleri said, ''two wrongs don't make a right''. And, Mr Formosa, for your information, there ARE Maltese who boycott zoos in other countries and do not visit Spain because of bull fighting, and many Maltese people I know sign petitions against animal cruelty in other countries. If you care about animals, you care about them regardless of their geographical location!
Many people exploit animals by visiting zoos, circuses, dolphinariums etc. not out of cruelty but more out of ignorance, as they have never thought to consider these so-called places of entertainment from the animals' point of view. Anyone raising awareness about cruelty to animals (or to other humans for that matter!), whether local OR foreign, should be applauded.
Franco Farrugia
Aug 10th 2008, 17:33
Dear Mr Formosa,
I don't agree with you that larger countries should set an example. We are all together in this - it is one world, one global village, and each one is accountable to his neighbours. For instance, it is stupid for a few countries in the world, eg. Japan, to claim that nobody should interfere with their whale-catching (read: massacre). We, from our tiny Malta, SHOULD FEEL CONCERNED over this environmental issue. The same applies to pandas, for instance. We, from our tiny Malta, should also feel elated every time the number of pandas is increased because they belong to us as well.
You are right about bull-fighting in Spain - and you are right about the plight of zoos (I have that feeling that animals may be looked after more professionally than they actually are at Mediterraneo, but that's my opinion).
The issue of abortion is quite different from the issue here, but again, I understand your sense of priorities.
Jeremy J Camilleri
Aug 10th 2008, 16:33
Poor ANthony Formosa..
Judging from his incomprehensible reply, it is obvious that he has'nt understood anything....
We have every right to complain about what happens in other countries...They have every right to do the same..
Jeremy J Camilleri
Aug 10th 2008, 14:40
What a brilliant attitude.....What about zoos??
What a stupid mentality..Two wrongs don't make a right....
Boycott the zoos as I do....
Mediterraneo is solely OUR problem, but we don't seem to care!
Anthony Formosa
Aug 10th 2008, 13:14
@F.Farrugia, absolutely right you care about what happens in your own country, so why Mr Larkins is complaining about what happens in my own country? Did any Maltese wrote against or boycotted the British Zoos and worst of all against abortion which is the number one in the world. Did any Maltese refuses to fly to Spain because of bull fighting? which is very popular with British tourist. Yes if there's any way how to improve the conditions of our dolphins. then you should make your complain. lets follow examples, from bigger countries, when they release all the animals from the zoo, then we release our dolphins, if you believe the opposite, then you're dreaming.
Tony Caruana
Aug 10th 2008, 13:03
@ franco farrugia
Exactly the message i wanted to pass to this foreigner ! Thanks
Franco Farrugia
Aug 10th 2008, 12:29
@ Mr Caruana - I am a local, and am Maltese. I don't give an iota what there are in zoos abroad. I care about what is happening in my own country. That's because it is what happens here upon that concerns me, not what is happening abroad.
I suggest you do the same. To react in such an immature manner is futile.
Tony Caruana
Aug 10th 2008, 11:54
What about the poor animals you have in your Zoos ? Mr. Larkins look closer to home