Claims made against the Mediterraneo Marine Park by a top animal rights organisation have been dismissed as baseless and senseless by the marine park's management.

The park in Baħar iċ-Cagħaq was recently listed by PETA as one of seven cruel destinations by the largest animal rights organisation in the world along with the likes of the brutal bull-running festival in Pamplona.

For PETA, the 'swimming with dolphins' programme has miserable consequences.

It said that confining such mammals for eternity to tanks and forcing them to perform silly, repetitious tricks and swim in endless circles, is subject- ing them to unforgiveable cruelty. But Mediterraneo director Pedro Maghalaes insisted that the different accusations made by the UK-based organisation were incorrect.

"They are saying our pools are small - but in actual fact both our pools are up to the standards set by the European Association of Aquatic Mammals, which we form part of. They are actually much bigger than the standards set."

Mr Maghalaes insisted that Mediterraneo takes good care of its animals, evidenced by the recruitment of a resident veterinarian who specialises in marine mammals. The park is even equipped with a small laboratory which carries out all sorts of analysis and check-ups.

In the last three to four years Mediterraneo had invested some €1.6 million in the welfare of the animals, Mr Maghalaes said.

"We installed a UV system to sterilise the water, we cover the water with PVC, we created shades to keep the heat away..."

Mr Maghalaes described as a "lie" the claim by some visitors that the dolphins showed signs of illness and injury. The park gives its guests questionnaires about the welfare of animals on a daily basis - and nobody ever complained, he said.

Asked to reply to the basic accusation that such mammals should not be cooped up in pools, Mr Maghalaes replied: "With these kinds of parks and thanks to the research we carry out, we can help the animals in the wild. It's not just a way of having a fun park. We invest a lot in research."