Mediterraneo dolphin deaths showed ‘negligence and mismanagement’

An investigation into the deaths of three bottlenose dolphins which were previously kept at the Mediterraneo Marine Park showed levels of “negligence and mismanagement”, according to a report published by the Commissioner for Animal Welfare (CAW). 

In August, animal rights group Animal Liberation Malta raised the alarm that three female dolphins at the park had gone missing from their tanks and were most likely dead and accused the park of trying to cover up the deaths and avoid scrutiny.

Subsequently, Times of Malta revealed that the three captive dolphins Mar, Onda and Melita had died of lead poisoning, most likely due to a split-weight bag that had shed pellets in the dolphins’ pool and got caught in the filtration system. 

In her observation and conclusions, Commissioner Alison Bezzina said that despite the unconventional way in which these dolphins had died, the Veterinary Regulation Division (VRD) was slow to act and when it did, did not exhibit any particular urgency in its search for answers. 

As legally required, Mediterraneo had informed the VRD of the death of each dolphin within a few days, however, the department only visited the park roughly a month after the third...