Exotic Pets and Prohibited Wildlife (Page 3 of 3)

Elk and fallow deer are classified as alternative livestock and are licensed by the Department of Agriculture. Below are the other mammals that are legal to own in Colorado:

Common Name Genus/Species

African pygmy hedgehog Atelerix, Erinaceus; albiventris

Red kangaroo

Macropus rufus

Short-tailed possum

Monodelphis domestca

Sugar gliders
Petaurus breviceps

Bennett wallaby
Macropus rufogriseus

Dama wallaby
Macropus eugenii

Swamp wallaby Wallabia bicolor

Wallaroo Macropus robustus

Prohibited Species

These are the species that are illegal to have in Colorado. That means there are no licenses available to possess one of these species. There are several reasons why the state has prohibited them, ranging from concerns about damage to native wildlife or habitat to the potential for spreading diseases to livestock or people.

Common Name    Genus/Species

Addax    Addax nasomaculatus

Aoudad    Ammotragus lervia

Blesbok    Damalicus dorcas

Barbary sheep    Ammotragus lervia

Brush-tailed possum    Trichosurus vulpecula, arnhemensis, caninus

Chamois    Rupicapra rupicapra

European hedgehogs Erinaceus spp,(except Erinaceus albiventris); Hemiechinus spp., Paraechinus spp.

Gemsbok    Oryx gazella

Wild and exotic goats    Capra spp.(all wild goats exotic goats and hybrids)

Goral    Nemorhaedus goral

Grouse, red, black and Capercaillae    Nonnative species of the subfamily Tetraoninae

Hartebeest    Alcelaphus lichtensteini

Ibex    Capra ibex

Markhor    Capra falconeri

Mouflon    Ovis musimon

Oryx    Oryx dammah, leucoryx.

Wild and exotic pigs    Sus spp. (all wild pigs and hybrids)

Primates    All non-human primates, i.e. monkeys, chimpanzees

Raccoon    Porocyon spp.

Red deer    Cervus elaphus elaphus (and hybrids)

Sheep    (wild exotic Ovis spp. sheep and hybrids)

Striped skunks    Mephitis mephitis.

Tahr    Hemitragus spp.

Topi    Damalicus lunatus

White-tailed deer    Odocoileus virginnianus

Wildebeest    Connochaetes spp.

Prohibited Fish and Amphibians

Common Name	Genus/Species
Big head carp	Aristichthys nobilis
Bowfins	Amiidae
Gars	Lepisosteidae
Grass carp
White amur	Ctenopharyngodon idella
Black amur	Mylopharyngodon piceus
Hybrid amur	Ctenopharyngodon idella X Aristichthys nobilis
Green frog	Rana clamitans
Indian carp	Catla, rohu, Labeo rohita, mrigal, Cirrhinus mrigala
Piranha	Including members of the genera Serrasalmus, Roosevelthiella, and Pygocentrus
Quagga mussels	Dreissena bugensis Andrusov
Rudd	Scardinius erythrophthalmus
Silver carp	Hypophthalmichthys molitrix
Snakeheads ormurrels	Member of the genera Channa and Ophicephalus
Sticklebacks	Members of the genera Apeltes, Aulorhynchus, Gasterosteus and Pungitius
Tilapia	All species
Trahira	Hoplias malabaricus
Walking catfish	Clarias batrachus
Zebra mussels	Dreissena polymorpha

Wildlife That Require Permits

All other species of native and exotic wildlife require a license from either the Division of Wildlife or the state Department of Agriculture. To have or import one of these species, you must get a license first. You can get importation permits from the Department of Agriculture after obtaining a license from the Division of Wildlife.

For more information, contact the following agencies:

With wildlife questions, contact:
Colorado Division of Wildlife; Don Masden
2300 S. Townsend Ave., Montrose, CO 81401
970/252-6006

With alternative livestock, importations, humane care, or pet questions, contact:
Colorado Department of Agriculture—State Veterinarian
700 Kipling St., Suite 4000, Lakewood, CO 80215
303/239-4161

With human health questions, contact:
Colorado Department of Public Health; John Pape
4300 Cherry Creek Dr. South, Denver, CO 80222
303/692-2700

Last Updated: 8/13/2007