I had a chance to interview Animals’ Rights Advocate and Presenter of Malta TV show The Vuci ghall-Annimali, who has shocked the world with the discovery of Four lions and a Panther living in captivity in Malta.
Althea Galea is a Presenter and Animal Activist of the Vuci ghall-Annimali program who has been exposing the suffering of the Naxxar lions, whose situation remains unchanged three months after an initial report to Malta authorities.
How many attempts to report that five wild animals were found abandoned in the limits of Naxxar to local authorities have proved unsuccessful?
Since December, Vuċi għall-Annimali has been actively reporting the presence and condition of these animals to the Veterinary Regulation Directorate (VRD) and other authorities. Despite verifying the situation and escalating it through official channels, there has been no decisive action taken to rescue or relocate the animals.
Even after an inspection confirmed four lions and a panther in poor conditions, and after follow-up videos revealed continued abandonment, the authorities have failed to act effectively. Instead of removing the animals, the owner has been instructed to build larger cages — a decision we strongly oppose.
How should the regulation of NGOs, zoo stakeholders, and government legislators be aligned to protect wild animals?
There is a clear and urgent need for collaboration and reform. NGOs, especially those with animal welfare expertise, must be treated as active partners in the protection of exotic animals. Government legislators should work hand in hand with NGOs and responsible stakeholders to:
Create a national plan for confiscation and rescue of wild animals.
Ensure all decisions involving exotic animals prioritize the animal’s welfare over the owner's interests.
A fragmented system fails animals. A unified and transparent approach is the only way forward.
How should these wild animals be removed from captivity immediately and brought to a sanctuary and not a zoo?
These animals must be confiscated by the state as soon as possible and placed in the care of international sanctuaries that are equipped to meet their complex needs.
Born Free and Four Paws have already expressed interest in helping with veterinary assessments and relocation. Malta should accept this assistance, not reject it.
Sending these animals to a zoo — particularly a local one — is not a solution. Their lives in a sanctuary would offer space, dignity, and rehabilitation — not more cages, more display, and more neglect.
Why should these wild animals not be allowed in the country unless it is ascertained that their protection is safeguarded?
It has been illegal to import wild animals in Malta since 2016, however enforcement lacks big time in this country so there were people who were still importing and trading these animals illegally. There is an amnesty period of 90 days which will give these owners the final chance to register their animals. There are currently no confiscation facilities, no qualified exotic vets within the regulatory department, and no national plan for their care.
Why is space the most basic thing these lions need, and why can’t they be released into the wild?
These lions were bred in captivity and have never known true freedom. Releasing them into the wild would be impossible and dangerous — they would not survive.
But that does not mean they deserve a lifetime of suffering. What they do need — urgently — is space. Space to move, rest, explore. Space to behave as lions should.
Keeping them confined in small, unnatural enclosures is a form of ongoing harm. A reputable sanctuary offers the closest thing to a natural life they will ever know.
***
The number of lions in the wild has dropped dramatically, and this trend is continuing. The population of African lions, for
Animal Rights Minister Anton Refalo revealed in 2020 that just under 400 wild animals were known to be kept in captivity in Malta. Sixty-four tigers, 20 lions, 11 leopards, and 24 pumas topped the list as the largest populations of wild species in captivity in Malta. The list points towards a marked preference for big cats, with a total of 64 tigers, 20 lions, 11 leopards, and 24 pumas topping the list as the biggest populations of wild species.
The Vuci ghall-Annimali program reported that a group of animal activists shared video footage of locked lions in the Għallis building, the limits of Naxxar in Malta. These animals were found in a dark room filled with their waste and were starving. Numerous attempts to report the issue to local authorities were dismissed.
As we are approaching World Lion Day, observed annually on August 10th, this global event is dedicated to raising awareness and promoting conservation efforts for lions, highlighting the challenges they face in the wild and the importance of protecting these iconic animals.
No comments:
Post a Comment