A report by Four Paws International said it was concerned about the quantity of big cats on the island after its representatives counted 40 tigers in a recent visit.

“The high number of big cats, especially tigers, indicates intensive breeding and trade,” the report reads.

“Legal tiger trade is often intertwined with illegal tiger trade, which could easily be happening in Malta as well.”

Trade in wild tigers, which are endangered, is banned in the EU but trading tigers born in captivity is not.

Representatives of the Austrian-based animal welfare group compiled the report during a visit in August.

They counted 40 tigers in Malta but noted that they were not given access to big cats being kept privately.