The unexpected COVID-19 epidemic has undoubtedly changed people's daily routine, as many have not been able to enjoy the usual public entertainment they did before in order to avoid getting infected by attending places with large gatherings. A good number of people have turned to purchasing pets in order to spend an otherwise the boring time at home.

However, some types of pets, according to the Wild Animal Conservation Law of China, are classified as species under state protection. Even though these species are kept as pets in other countries legally, if you keep them in China, you will may face a penalty, a fine or even jailing.

These are some species that are allowed and aren't allowed to be kept as pets in China: 

Parrots

In China, only three parrots can be legally traded and kept as pets: cockatiels, budgies and rosy-faced lovebirds. The other parrots, including the popular sulphur-crested cockatoo, are not considered as legal pets. For the gray parrot which is listed as "endangered" by the IUCN, trading and keeping it will get you in trouble.

Otters

Many people are fascinated by these adorable creatures, especially if one watches videos posted by otter keepers from countries like Japan and South Korea. However, the otter, including the Asian small-clawed otter and the Eurasian otter, are all under state protection in China. Certain certificates are needed to keep them, so if you hope to keep one, make sure you get the certificates and that the otter you keep is not captured in the wild.

Pythons

Though reptilian lovers might find this strange, according to the Wild Animal Conservation Law of China, all the pythons are listed under the first-class state protection in China, which means, the pythons that are in pet stores and keepers' homes in China are ALL ILLEGAL. Some argue that the ball python, which is a popular snake pet in other countries, has already developed a mature system of breeding, hence it should be legalized as a pet. However, until the law states it is fine to keep, owning a ball python will remain illegal in China.

The Chinese government is working to amend the The Wild Animal Conservation Law this year as the novel coronavirus epidemic has been linked to the consumption of wild animals. Based on the current biodiversity conditions in China, the list of legal pets will be updated accordingly.

(Cover: The grey parrot is an endangered species. /VCG)

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