Some remember him as one of their most inspiring teachers of biology, others have been introduced to his well-researched publications about local traditions and Malta’s natural history and folklore.

Guido Lanfranco’s death at the age of 90, announced publicly on 8 September 2021, and the reactions it garnered are testament to the undoubtedly rich legacy of research and knowledge he left in his efforts to educate the public on Malta’s flora, fauna and culture.

He was born in Sliema in 1930, and received his education at Stella Maris, the St Michael’s, then the University of Malta and finally the Dale Field Studies Centre in Wales.

He was a long-standing academic, a member of the University’s Biological Society, and served as the first President of Birdlife Malta and of Nature Trust.

He inspired many to “take a deeper interest in Malta’s natural history”, a Times of Malta article said.

In a dedicated Facebook post, the University’s Faculty of Science expressed its sincere condolences to his son Dr Sandro Lanfranco, the current head of the Department of Biology and his family, and also to his brother Edwin Lanfranco, who was for decades a member of staff of the Department of Biology. 

Several colleagues, members of the UM community and local dignitaries chimed in to say they are saddened by the news.