Ban on new pet raccoons, crocodiles to take effect on May 1Staff writer, with CNARegulations prohibiting people in Taiwan from having raccoons, saltwater crocodiles, vipers and elapid snakes (such as cobras and mambas) as pets will take effect on May 1, with exemptions for those who already own them, the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) said yesterday. The new rules, for which a 30-day public notice period was announced in October, will prohibit getting such animals as new pets from May 1. The banned species can also pose a serious threat to the public if they escape or are abandoned, the MOA said, while saltwater crocodiles are highly aggressive. The ban will apply primarily to the general public. A total of 641 species will be banned as pets once the new regulations are in place, including pit bulls and electric eels, according to the ministry.

Source: Taipei Times March 10, 2026 20:17 UTC