'Circus’ or ‘educational’? Dolphin park debate rages, as MPs discuss new law

This week’s debate in parliament about changes to animal welfare laws has fuelled the feud between activists and the marine park over whether its dolphin shows are educational or mere circus acts that should be banned.
The bill under discussion is to amend the Animal Welfare Act. Among its proposed changes, the bill seeks to broaden the definition of an animal circus. 

Currently, a circus is defined as any place where animals “are introduced for the purpose of performance, manoeuvres and shows or otherwise”.
The amendment would define an animal circus as “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”.
Malta and Greece are the only two European countries that have outright banned animal circuses.
A protest outside Mediterraneo Marine Park last month held to call out its 'cruelty'. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli
Mediterraneo: 'It's educational'
While the Mediterraneo Marine Park is described as a “circus” by animal rights activists, its management on Thursday...