Watch: Vuċi Għall-Annimali Urges Investigation Of Dangerous Animals Registered Under Recent Amnesty
NGO Vuċi għall-Annimali are calling for immediate action to be taken by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) after it was revealed that 96 wild and potentially dangerous animals had been registered by the authorities following a government amnesty.
Recently, the Maltese authorities allowed people who owned dangerous animals, like big cats and primates, to register them legally under a government amnesty (a pardon granted to a large group of people).
This means that anyone who had any illegal dangerous animals had the chace to register them legally without any repercussions.
This amnesty cannot cleanse or legalise potential breaches under other laws that could come with owning a dangerous animal such as the illegality of smuggling them into the country, buying or trading animals without proper permits and violating EU and national wildlife laws.
“Many of the animals declared are CITES-listed species,” they stated. “There is a real risk that some of these animals were brought into Malta through illegal trade or without the required permits. The public deserves transparency, and those responsible for illegal trafficking must face prosecution.”
Laws in place to protect wildlife such as strict import/export rules for CITES-listed species (endangered or protected animals) and EU and Maltese law which both require proper documentation proving that such animals were imported legally and ethically, have been sidelined.
If these animals were brought or traded illegally through the black market or smuggled, they shouldn’t be allowed a pardon by legally registering them under an amnesty.
Malta has already been named in international investigations (like a 2024 ARTE documentary) as a possible hot spot for illegal primate trade, which proves this is part of a bigger, ongoing issue.
In an open letter to ERA Vuci għall-Annimali is formally asking the Chairman of ERA to get a full list of the people and animals registered and conduct investigations in collaboration with the police to verify how the animals arrived in Malta, prosecute those who broke the laws and clarify that amnesty does not mean immunity from other legal responsibilities.
“We are also working with international NGOs to ensure that any animals confiscated can be safely rehomed,” said Vuci għall-Annimali.
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