Ten lions, 15 tigers, five leopards, five pumas, 29 monkeys and 10 chimpanzees are among the 96 dangerous animals currently pending registration.
The animals are pending registration after 25 individuals applied for an amnesty for having owned them illegally.
A 2016 law makes it illegal for private individuals to keep dangerous animals unless they are housed in a licensed zoo.
However, in February, the government announced that owners keeping dangerous animals illegally would be granted amnesty if they applied to register their animals within a 90-day period.
The animals pending registration must be neutered within the next six months
After the period expired, during a parliamentary session in May, Animal Rights Minister Anton Refalo announced that 25 individuals had applied for amnesty, covering a total of 96 dangerous animals. Refalo added that the animals pending registration must be neutered within the next six months.
Times of Malta sent questions to the ministry requesting a breakdown of the different species. The list includes: Ten chimpanzees, five capuchin monkeys, eight vervet monkeys, 11 green monkeys, seven Barbary macaques, two patas monkeys, three black-crested mangabeys, three De Brazza’s monkeys, two baboons, 10 lions, one black panther, five pumas, 13 tigers, two Bengal tigers, two serval cats, five leopards, two lemurs, one caiman, one waterbuck and three Barbary sheep.
The list of breeds. Graphic: Bertrand BorgThe ministry stated that the names of the individuals who applied for the amnesty could not be shared due to GDPR regulations.
It is not yet clear where these animals are currently being kept. However, the ministry said that the Veterinary Regulatory Directorate will “carry out the necessary checks”.
Animal rights junior minister Alicia Bugeja Said previously stated that fines would start being issued once the amnesty period had ended.
People who fail to apply to register their animals or do not observe regulations will be liable to an administrative fine of between €8,000 and €15,000 per animal and fines of between €2,000 and €65,000, rising with repeat offences and including possible imprisonment for up to three years.
Back in 2020, Refalo had revealed that nearly 400 wild animals were being kept in captivity in Malta. The largest populations included 64 tigers, 20 lions, 11 leopards, and 24 pumas.
More recently, he noted that a site in Rabat housing four lions and a leopard is registered with the Animal Welfare Department, although it has not been sanctioned by the Planning Authority.