(NEXSTAR) — Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!
With cultural icons and celebrities further cementing the idea of exotic animal ownership as a form of status, it’s no wonder some people are curious about which exotic animals they’re allowed to keep as pets.
But owning exotic animals is not as simple as finding a new puppy at your local animal shelter — especially in Texas. The state has several restrictions and regulations in place clarifying which exotic animals are legal to own.
Texas law states owners must have a Certificate of Registration (CPR) to own “dangerous wild animals.” Those animals include:
- Lions
- Tigers
- Ocelots
- Cougars
- Leopards
- Cheetahs
- Jaguars
- Bobcats
- Lynxs
- Servals
- Caracals
- Hyenas
- Bears
- Coyotes
- Jackals
- Baboons
- Chimpanzees
- Orangutans
- Gorillas
- Any hybrid of the animals listed above
While it’s legal to own snakes as pets in Texas, certain snakes require owners to have a Controlled Exotic Snake Permit. Those snakes include:
- Asiatic rock pythons
- African rock pythons
- Green anacondas
- Reticulated pythons
- Southern Africa pythons
- Exotic venomous snakes
Endangered species, on the other hand, are completely illegal to own in Texas. Texans are not allowed to keep endangered species as pets. The endangered species are listed below:
- Invasive species of fish and shellfish
- Wolves
- Indigenous birds
- Diamondback terrapins
- Bats
