Is It Illegal to Keep Peafowl in Captivity? Legal Regulations to Understand Before Keeping Peafowl

Peafowl is the general term for birds of the tribe Pavonini in the family Phasianidae, including the Indian peafowl (blue peafowl), green peafowl, white peafowl and black peafowl. They often inhabit open areas of forests, their meat is edible, and captive breeding has now been achieved. In recent years, China's peafowl breeding industry has begun to emerge, and the production and sales market is exceptionally booming. Let's take a look below at whether keeping peafowl in captivity is illegal!

Is It Illegal to Keep Peafowl in Captivity?

Keeping blue peafowl and white peafowl in captivity is not illegal, but the green peafowl is a national first-class protected animal, and keeping green peafowl privately is illegal. Article 22 of the Wildlife Protection Law of the People's Republic of China stipulates that selling or purchasing nationally protected wild animals or their products is prohibited. When special circumstances such as scientific research, domestication and breeding, or exhibition require the sale, purchase or use of national first-class protected wild animals or their products, approval must be obtained from the wildlife administrative department under the State Council or a unit authorized by it.

What Certificates Are Needed to Keep Peafowl?

To keep peafowl, you need to obtain a Wildlife Domestication and Breeding License and a Wildlife Business License from the forestry department. Without these two certificates, selling and transporting them are illegal, and once caught, you may have them confiscated, be fined, or even sentenced. In addition, farms selling special animals must also have an Animal Epidemic Prevention Qualification Certificate issued by the animal husbandry department; otherwise they violate regulations, the products cannot be used for breeding, and there will also be problems with future production and sales.

Can You Make Money Keeping Peafowl in Captivity?

1. Model one: Introduce 500 peafowl chicks at one time. Calculated at 80 yuan each, the seed purchase cost is 40000 yuan. Raising them in captivity for 5 to 7 months until they reach a body weight of more than 3500 grams requires about 30 jin of feed, valued at 30 yuan. At a wholesale selling price of 30 yuan per jin, total income can reach more than 100000 yuan.

2. Model two: Introduce 3 groups of three-year-old egg-producing peafowl at one time (1 male and 4 females per group). Assuming each female bird produces 30 eggs per year, the three groups of peafowl can produce a total of 360 eggs. Calculated at an 85% survival rate, 300 young peafowl can be obtained. After raising them for 6 months and selling them, income can exceed 120000 yuan.