Section 27-5-5. Wild animals for which license or permit required

   (a) The following animals are considered to be inherently dangerous to human beings and are subject to the license or permit and insurance requirements provided for in subsection (f) of Code Section 27-5-4:

   (1) Class Mammalia:

      (A) Order Marsupialia: Genus Macropus (Kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos) -- All species;

      (B) Order Primates:

         (i) Family Pongidae (gibbons, orang-utan, chimpanzees, siamangs, and gorillas) -- All species;

         (ii) Family Cercopithecidae:

            (I) Genus Macaca (macaques) -- All species;

            (II) Genus Papio (mandrills, drills, and baboons) -- All species;

            (III) Theropithecus gelada (Gelada baboon);

      (C) Order Carnivora:

         (i) Family Canidae:

            (I) Genus Canis (wolves, jackals, and dingos); all species; except that any person possessing hybrid crosses between wolves and domestic animals on July 1, 1994, shall have until July 1, 1995, to apply for a fee-exempt permit to possess these animals as pets; provided, however, that the said hybrid is sexually neutered; provided, further, that it shall be unlawful to transfer possession or ownership of said hybrid without prior written approval from the department. Liability insurance shall not be mandatory for wolf hybrids possessed under this fee-exempt permit;

            (II) Chrysocyon brachyurus (maned wolf);

            (III) Cuon alpinus (red dog);

            (IV) Lycaon pictus (African hunting dog);

         (ii) Family Ursidae (bears) -- All species;

         (iii) Family Mustelidae -- Gulo gulo (wolverine);

         (iv) Family Hyaenidae (hyenas) -- All species;

         (v) Family Felidae:

            (I) Genus Leo or Panthera or Neofelis (lions, tigers, jaguars, and leopards) -- All species;

            (II) Unica unica (snow leopard);

            (III) Acinonyx jubatus (cheetah);

            (IV) Felis concolor (cougar) -- All subspecies;

      (D) Order Proboscidae: Family Elephantidae (elephants) -- All species;

      (E) Order Perissodactyla: Family Rhinocerotidae (rhinoceroses) -- All species;

      (F) Order Artiodactyla:

         (i) Family Suidae -- Phacochoerus aethiopicus (wart hog);

         (ii) Family Hippopotamidae -- Hippopotamus amphibius (hippopotamus);

         (iii) Family Bovidae:

            (I) Genus Taurotragus (elands) -- All species;

            (II) Boselaphus tragocamelus (nilgais);

            (III) Bos sauveli (kouprey);

            (IV) Syncerus caffer (African buffalo);

            (V) Hippotragus niger (sable);

            (VI) Oryx gazella (gemsbok);

            (VII) Addax nasomaculatus (addax);

            (VIII) Genus Alcelaphus (hartebeests) -- All species;

            (IX) Genus Connochaetes (gnu, wildebeest) -- All species;

   (2) Class Reptilia:

      (A) Order Crocodylia:

         (i) Family Crocodylidae (crocodiles, gavials, etc.) -- All species;

         (ii) Family Alligatoridae -- (alligators and caimans) -- All species;

      (B) Order Squamata:

         (i) Suborder Serpentes:

            (I) Family Elapidae (cobras, coral snakes, etc.) -- All species;

            (II) Family Viperidae (adders, vipers, etc.) -- All species;

            (III) Family Colubridae -- All poisonous rear-fanged species (Opisthoglypis);

            (IV) Family Crotalidae (pit vipers) -- All species;

         (ii) Suborder Lacertilia: Family Helodermatidae (Gila monsters and beaded lizards) -- All species;

   (3) Class Osteichthyes:

      (A) Order Cypriniformes (Suborder Characoidei): Family Characidae (tetra, piranha): Genera Serrasalmus, Serrasalmo, Pygocentrus, Taddyella, Rooseveltiella, Pygopristis (piranhas) -- All species;

      (B) Order Siluriformes: Family Trichomycteridae (parasitic catfishes): Genera Vandellia (candiru) and Urinophilus -- All species; and

   (4) Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish): Order Rajiformes: Family Potamotrygonidae (fresh-water stingray) -- All species.

(b) Except as provided in this Code section, a license or permit is required for the following wild animals and any others specified by regulation of the board:

   (1) Class Mammalia:

      (A) Order Marsupialia -- All species other than those listed in subparagraph (a)(1)(A) of this Code section; except that Petaurus breviceps (sugar glider) may be sold, purchased, exhibited, or held as a pet without a license or permit if the owner thereof possesses valid documentation that the animal originated from a source inspected and regulated by the United States Department of Agriculture;

      (B) Order Insectivora (shrews, moles, etc.) -- All species;

      (C) Order Dermoptera (flying lemurs) -- All species;

      (D) Order Chiroptera (bats) -- All species;

      (E) Order Primates (monkeys, apes, etc.) -- All species except Family Hominidae;

      (F) Order Edentata (sloths, armadillos, etc.) -- All species;

      (G) Order Pholidota (pangolins or scaly anteaters) -- All species;

      (H) Order Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares, etc.) -- All species except Genus Oryctolagus; or any other normally domesticated species;

      (I) Order Rodentia (rats, mice, etc.) -- All species except Genus Cavia; Genus Gerbillus; Genus Mesocricetus; Mus musculous; Rattus rattus; Rattus norvegicus; or any other normally domesticated species;

      (J) Order Cetacea (whales, dolphins, etc.) -- All species;

      (K) Order Carnivora (weasels, ferrets, cats, bears, wolves, etc.) -- All species, except that a European ferret (Mustela putorius furo) may be sold, purchased, exhibited, or held as a pet without a license or permit; provided, however, that the ferret owner can provide valid documentation that the ferret was sexually neutered prior to seven months of age and is vaccinated against rabies with a properly administered vaccine approved for use on ferrets by the United States Department of Agriculture;

      (L) Order Tubulidentata (aardvark) -- All species;

      (M) Order Proboscidea (elephants) -- All species;

      (N) Order Hyracoidea (conies) -- All species;

      (O) Order Sirenia (manatees, dugong) -- All species;

      (P) Order Perissodactyla (odd-toed ungulates) -- All species;

      (Q) Order Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) -- All species except Bison bison (buffalo), Bubalus bubalis (water buffalo), and Llama guanicoe, L. glama, and L. pacos (llamas);

   (2) Class Aves:

      (A) Order Falconiformes (hawks, eagles, vultures, etc.) -- All species except that persons possessing a federal falconry license shall be allowed to possess birds in the Order Falconiformes without obtaining a wild animal license;

      (B) Order Galliformes: Family Meleagrididae (turkeys) -- All species not normally domesticated;

      (C) Order Psittaciformes: Myiopsitta monachus (monk parakeet);

      (D) Order Cuculiformes: Family Cuculidae (cuckoos) -- All species;

      (E) Order Strigiformes (owls) -- All species;

      (F) Order Passeriformes:

         (i) Family Alaudidae (larks): Alauda arvensis (sky larks);

         (ii) Family Pycnonotidae (bulbuls) -- All species;

         (iii) Family Muscicapidae (thrushes, blackbirds, fieldfare, etc.): Genus Turdus -- All species;

         (iv) Family Zosteropidae (white eyes): Genus Zosterops -- All species;

         (v) Family Emberizidae (buntings, etc.): Emberiza citrinella (yellow hammer);

         (vi) Family Ploceidae (sparrows, weavers, queleas, weaver finches, etc.):

            (I) Genus Passer -- All species except Passer domesticus (English house sparrow);

            (II) Ploceus capensis (cape weaver);

            (III) Ploceus philippinus (Baya weaver);

            (IV) Genus Quelea -- All species;

         (vii) Family Icteridae (blackbirds, grackles, orioles, etc.): Genera Molothrus, Quiscalus, and Agelaius -- All species;

         (viii) Family Estrildidae (waxbills, ricebirds, munias, weaver finches, etc.): Padda oryzivora (Java sparrow);

         (ix) Family Sturnidae (starlings, mynas, etc.) -- All species except Sturnus vulgaris (starling) and Gracula religiosa (Hill mynas);

         (x) Family Corvidae (crows, ravens, etc.) -- All species;

   (3) Class Amphibia (Order Anura):

      (A) Family Bufonidae (toads): Bufo marinus, Bufo paracnemis, Bufo horribilis (giant or marine toad group);

   (4) Class Osteichthyes (bony fish):

      (A) Order Cypriniformes (Suborder Characoidei): Family Characidae (tetra, piranha):

         (i) Astyanax faciatus (banded tetra);

         (ii) Genera Serrasalmus, Serrasalmo, Pygocentrus, Taddyella, Rooseveltiella, Pygopristis (piranhas) -- All species;

      (B) Order Cypriniformes (Suborder Cyprinoidei): Family Cyprinidae (carp, grass carp, orfe, etc.):

         (i) Ctenopharyngodon idella (grass carp);

         (ii) Hypophthalmichthys molitrix (silver carp);

         (iii) Aristichthys nobilis (bighead carp);

      (C) Order Siluriformes:

         (i) Family Clariidae (air-breathing catfishes) -- All species;

         (ii) Family Trichomycteridae (parasitic catfishes): Genera Vandellia (candiru) and Urinophilus -- All species;

         (iii) Family Heteropneustidae (giant walking catfishes): Genus Heteropneustes -- All species;

      (D) Order Perciformes (Suborder Channoidei) Family Channidae (snakeheads): Genera Ophicephalus and Channa -- All species;

   (5) Class Chondrichthyes (cartilaginous fish): Order Rajiformes: Family Potamotrygonidae (fresh-water stingray) -- All species; and

   (6) All exotic fish which are not held in aquaria or tanks, provided that, as used in this Code section, "aquaria or tanks" means containers for holding fish from which no water is discharged, except during periodic cleaning, and which discharged water is passed through a filtering system capable of removing all fish and fish eggs and is disposed of only in a septic tank permitted by the county or in a waste-water treatment system permitted by the Environmental Protection Division of the department. For purposes of this paragraph, exotic fish are all fish species not native to Georgia. This paragraph shall not apply to any species of fish regulated by any other chapter of this title.

(c) Any person who on July 1, 1994, possessed a wild animal for which a license or permit was not required prior to July 1, 1994, shall have until January 1, 1995, to apply for a fee-exempt permit, provided that the requirements of this chapter relating to insurance and humane handling, care, and confinement of wild animals are met. Such permits shall only be valid for wild animals possessed prior to July 1, 1994, and shall not authorize breeding, importation, sale, or transfer without specific authorization from the department.

Code 1933, § 45-1102, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1; Ga. L. 1978, p. 816, §§ 67, 68; Ga. L. 1979, p. 1094, §§ 10-12; Ga. L. 1985, p. 913, § 4; Ga. L. 1991, p. 1157, § 4; Ga. L. 1992, p. 1636, § 7; Ga. L. 1994, p. 1742, § 3; Ga. L. 1996, p. 1219, § 19; Ga. L. 2008, p. 702, §§ 2, 3/HB 239.