A recent government amnesty has led to the registration of 96 dangerous animals, including big cats and primates, as part of an initiative to regulate the ownership of exotic wildlife in the country.
The figures were revealed by Animal Rights Minister Anton Refalo during a parliamentary session in May, following the closure of a three-month grace period that allowed owners to declare such animals without facing penalties.
The amnesty, announced in February 2025, provided a 90-day period for individuals to register dangerous animals without facing penalties, and ended in early May of this year.
This move was in response to concerns about unregistered exotic animals and aimed to update Malta's animal registry.
Tigers were the most commonly registered dangerous animal during the amnesty, followed by green monkeys.
According to official data, the registered animals include 13 tigers, 10 lions, five leopards, five pumas, one black panther, two Bengal tigers, two serval cats, 10 chimpanzees, seven barbary macaques, eight Vervet monkeys, three De Brazza monkeys, two baboons, two patas monkeys, five capuchin monkeys, 11 green monkeys, three black-crested mangabeys, two lemurs, one Water Buck, three Barbary Sheep, and one caiman crocodile.
These animals were previously unregistered, and their owners have now come forward under the amnesty program.
Under the updated regulations, all registered dangerous animals must be neutered within six months unless exempted.
Owners are also required to obtain a certificate of competence to ensure proper care and safety standards are met.
Failure to comply with these regulations can result in administrative fines ranging from €8,000 to €15,000 per animal, with potential imprisonment for repeated offenses.
The initiative follows previous incidents which brought to light concerns of managing exotic animals in Malta.
In early January 2025, authorities discovered four lions and a leopard in an unregistered enclosure in Naxxar, prompting investigations and legal action.
Animal Rights Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said had said that fines would start being issued once the amnesty period had ended.