So, that will give you a clue as to why governments are not likely to start allowing penguins as pets. So, while many other exotic animals not native or indigenous to America are legal as pets, penguins are not one. On the other hand, chimpanzees, Bearded dragons, Wallaby mini Kangaroo , and even hedgehogs are considered legal pets in some US states. The United States is one of many countries that have adopted laws that protect penguins of the Antarctic.
However, over the years, penguins have been hunted for oil, killed for food, as slaughtered fat used as fuel. There are also threats to penguin habitats, such as global climate change. Other challenges that these vanishing animals face in the wild include:. Today, all species of penguins are legally protected from hunting and egg collecting. Even if you did establish a wildlife sanctuary and desired to buy and own a penguin as a pet, there are many government loopholes you would have to jump through.
First, the penguin cannot be wild-caught. Second, because these birds are on the endangered species list, the USDA would only allow you to keep one whose mother was in captivity already. Even still, you would have to prove that the penguin will be kept in a safe and humane environment, which usually means this social bird that normally exists within groups would need at least a pairing with 1 or 2 other penguins. Next, the penguin would require a suitable habitat with plenty of fresh vegetation, a regulated temperature, a large and deep saltwater pool.
And finally, you must have access to a skilled vet that can diagnose and treat any illnesses or infections such as Bird Flu that may arise. The animals that can be legally imported, bred, researched, transported, exhibited, sold, or kept for personal or commercial use are listed in detail under the Animal Welfare Act AWA ,.
In addition, the illegal wildlife trade also negatively affects human beings. While all pets that human beings own are taken from their original or native environment to live a life of domestication, most of these pets have easy-going lifestyles and have benefited from their human caretakers.
The list of domesticated animals is not a long one. It includes dogs, cats, pigs, horses, sheep, goats, chickens, and cows. They are pack animals and need at least 20 or more other penguins for socialization. To keep a penguin as a pet would also take an exceptional amount of fish, freshwater, and saltwater to survive. Even if you were to have a penguin as a pet, it would mature very slowly and live for up to 15 or 20 years in captivity. When it comes to a large colony of penguins and all that penguin poop, known as guano, the results escalate to a stench that human neighbors complain about.
So, the answer to whether you can legally buy and own penguins as pet depends on how you are keeping them. Even if you live in Alaska where the climate would be conducive to these cold climate birds, it is still illegal to have a penguin as a pet. Not if you live in the US. There are no penguin breeders in the US, outside of zoos.
This means you would have to have one caught in the wild, and every single species of penguin is covered by the international CITES treaty that forbids importation of wild birds of any kind. Penguins are no exception, despite being pretty harmless. We know that penguins can be kept in captivity; we see them at zoos across the globe. In these official institutions, they receive expert, hands-on care.
Many zoos do what it takes to keep these birds happy and healthy. Plus, researches can learn a lot from studying penguins in captivity. Even if you live in a country with penguins, it is illegal to keep one as a pet. Only zoos can get permission to have a penguin. There is much more to learn about penguins!
I have listed all facts about penguins below. Hopefully, after you finish reading the whole article, you will realize why it is not a good idea to keep a pet penguin. You will also be fascinated with these cute little fluffy creatures! Like I have mentioned above, owning a penguin is illegal unless you are a zoo or a reservation. So it means if you have money for a facility, you can own a pet penguin. Only rich people can do this because they have tons of cash to maintain a pet penguin.
It may be tempting to get one because of their cute and fluffy appearances. People living in those countries still need a permit to own a pet penguin. However, even if it is legally possible to own one as long as you have money, do you really want to own one?
Even if you successfully get a pet penguin, you will not be satisfied because they are horrible pets. You may be satisfied at first. But as soon they grow, they can be a pain in the ass.
Penguins are social creatures that love to live in groups. Another reason why penguins are horrible pets is because of their habitat. Penguins need to be in zero temperatures that have a fresh pool and enough space for them to roam. You will burn tons of cash just for the construction of their house. Consider as well the maintenance of their swimming pool as they love to poop there. The other reason why penguins are horrible pets is that their food is expensive.
You need to have a large supply of fresh fish. Because they will eat fishes per hour! So that is more than fishes per 12 hours. I hope you have lots of money to buy tons of fish. When you sum all the money you need to spend, you will get fainted for sure. If you plan to get a pet penguin, get ready because it would be a challenge for you. Also, I forgot to say that you need to say bye-bye to your vacation time.
No vacations for you darling because you need to feed your pet penguin and his friends every day. They will take care of little penguins that love to poop and eat every hour. Because of lots of work, obviously, you need to pay them big money. Yes, you can! Penguins can be trained to do simple tasks. Zookeepers have successfully trained penguins to do some tricks in front of the audience and interact with people. Penguins are smart animals, which is why they can be trained easily.
Penguins that are trained can be touched and hugged. However, it will be dangerous if you try to hug or touch a wild penguin. A trained penguin should be comfortable with you first before they allow you to hug them. If you try to touch or hug a wild penguin, they might bite you. The bite of a penguin is like a clamp. So obviously, it is painful.
So stay away from wild penguins and go to the zoo if you desire to hug a real penguin! While browsing the internet, I saw some websites and ads that sell a pet penguin. It will put a hole in your pocket just by buying a pet penguin. You can sum it up on yourself and see how much it will cost you. This is just the cost of a pet penguin.
The price does not include their food, habitat, and maintenance. Like I have mentioned, yes. It is illegal to own a pet penguin unless you are a zoo or reservation.
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