Transportation and Holding of Live Exotic Wildlife

 
Ø      Prior to entry into KY, an Annual or Individual Transportation Permit shall be obtained for all shipments of wildlife (except those specified in 301 KAR 2:082).

Ø      All shipments of wildlife (except for reptiles and amphibians) shall be accompanied by a certificate of veterinary inspection stating that the wildlife is free of symptoms of disease.  A federal quarantine certificate may be substituted for the certificate of veterinary inspection.

Ø      Persons shall be responsible for applying for a transportation permit who:

o       Receive a shipment of wildlife

o       Import wildlife into Kentucky

o       Transport wildlife into and through the state to a destination outside KY

Ø      Individual Transportation Permit

o       Good for 1 shipment of wildlife (no limit on # of animals)

o       $25.00 per shipment

o       Please allow at least 10 business days for the application to be processed or complete your application online and print your permit immediately.

Ø      Annual Transportation Permit

o       Allows an unlimited number of shipments for a period of one year.

o       $250.00 per year, permit expires 1 year from date of issue

o       An Annual Transportation Permit holder shall notify the KDFWR of any amendments to the original application at least 48 hours prior to any wildlife shipment.

Ø      KDFWR does not require a permit to possess non-prohibited exotic wildlife (see prohibited species list), only a transportation permit if imported from out of state.

PROHIBITED EXOTIC WILDLIFE

Ø      The general public cannot import, possess, or transport through KY any of the following:

(Note: The Commissioner may exempt Zoos, Government Agencies, Colleges, Universities, or Circuses from the prohibited species regulations)

Environmentally Injurious - A person shall not import, possess, or transport through Kentucky the following species:

·                 Baya weaver (Ploceus philippinus);

·                 Blackbirds (Genus Agelaius), except native species;

·                 Cape sparrow (Passer melanurus);

·                 Cowbirds (Genus Molothrus), except native species;

·                 Cuckoo (Family Cuculidae), except native species;

·                 Dioch or red-billed quelea (Quelea quelea);

·                 European blackbird (Turdus merula);

·                 Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris);

·                 Flying fox or fruit bat (Genus Pteropus);

·                 Gambian giant pouched rat (Cricetomys gambianus);

·                 Giant, marine, or cane toad (Bufo marinus);

·                 Hawaiian rice bird or spotted munia (Lonchura punctulata);

·                 Jack rabbit (Genus Lepus);

·                 Java sparrow (Padda oryzivora);

·                 Madagascar weaver (Foudia madagascariensis);

·                 Mistle thrush (Turdus viscivorus);

·                 Monk or Quaker parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus);

·                 Multimammate rat (Genus Mastomys);

·                 Mute swan (Cygnus olor);

·                 Nutria (Myocastor coypus);

·                 Prairie dog (Cynomys spp.);

·                 Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides);

·                 San Juan rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus);

·                 Sky lark (Alauda arvensis);

·                 Song thrush (Turdus philomelus);

·                 Starling (Family Sturnidae) including pink starlings or rosy pastors (Sturnus roseus), except for Indian Hill mynahs (Gracula religiosa);

·                 Suricate or slender-tailed meerkat (Genus Suricata);

·                 Tongueless or African clawed frog (Xenopus laevis);

·                 Weaver finch (Genus Passer), except Passer domesticus;

·                 White eyes (Genus Zosterops);

                ·                Wild European rabbit (also called the San Juan Rabbit) not distinguishable morphologically from native wild rabbits;

·                 Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella); or

·                 A member of the following families:

o       Suidae (pigs or hogs), except for domestic swine;

o       Viverridae (civits, genets, lingsangs, mongooses and fossas); or

o       Tayassuidae (peccaries and javelinas).

Inherently Dangerous - A person shall not import or possess the following species:

**A person may apply for a wildlife transportation permit to temporarily transport into and through the state to a destination outside of Kentucky a prohibited inherently-dangerous exotic species and shall not:

-      Remain in the state in excess of forty-eight (48) hours;

-      Stop in Kentucky for exhibition purposes; or

-      Sell, trade, barter, or offer for sale, trade or barter a prohibited animal while in Kentucky.

·                 Alligators or caimans (Family Alligatoridae);

·                 African buffalo (Syncerus caffer);

·                 Bears (Family Ursidae);

·                 Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus);

·                 Clouded leopard (Neofelis nebulosa);

·                 Crocodiles (Family Crocodylidae);

·                 Elephants (Family Elephantidae);

·                 Gavials (Family Gavialidae);

·                 Gila monsters or beaded lizards (Family Helodermatidae);

·                 Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius);

·                 Honey badger or ratel (Mellivora capensis);

           ·                Hyenas (Family Hyaenidae), all species except aardwolves (Proteles cristatus);

·                 Lions, jaguars, leopards or tigers (Genus Panthera);

·                 Old world badger (Meles meles);

·                 Primates, nonhuman (Order Primates);

·                 Rhinoceroses (Family Rhinocerotidae);

·                 Snow leopard (Uncia uncia);

·                 Venomous exotic snakes of the families Viperidae, Atractaspididae, Elapidae, and Colubridae, except for hognose snakes (Genus Heterodon);

·                 Wolverine (Gulo gulo); or

·                 Hybrids of all species contained in this list.

WILDLIFE THAT DO NOT NEED TRANSPORTATION PERMITS TO COME INTO KY:

Ø      Alpaca (Lama pacos)

Ø      American bison (Bison bison)

Ø      Breeds and varieties of goats derived from the wild goat or bezoar (Capra hircus)

Ø      Camels (Camelus bactrianus and Camelus dromedarius)

Ø      Chinchillas (Chinchilla laniger)

Ø      Cockatoos (family Cacatuidae)

Ø      Domesticated races of ducks and geese (family Anatidae) distinguishable morphologically from wild ducks or geese

Ø      Domesticated races of European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) distinguishable from wild rabbits

Ø      Domesticated races of mink (Mustela vison) if adults are heavier than 1.15 kg or the fur color can be distinguished from wild mink

Ø      Domesticated races of rats (Rattus norvegicus or Rattus rattus) or mice (Mus musculus).

Ø      Domesticated races of turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) recognized by the American Poultry Association and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but shall not include captive held or bred wild turkeys.

Ø      Domestic yak (Bos grunniens)

Ø      Gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Ø      Guinea fowl (Mumida megeagris)

Ø      Guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Ø      Hamsters (Mesocricetus spp.)

Ø      Indian Hill mynahs (Graclua religiosa)

Ø      Llama (Lama glama)

Ø      Parrots, lovebirds, cockatiels, budgerigar, parakeets (except monk parakeet (M. monachus), macaws (family Psittacidae)

Ø      Peafowl (Pavo cristatus)

Ø      Pigeons (Columba domestica or Columba livia) or domesticated races of pigeons

Ø      Ratites, as defined by KRS 247.870 (birds that cannot fly: ostrich, emu, rheas, kiwis and cassowaries)

Ø       Toucans (family Rhamphastidae)