China's General Administration of Customs Photo:VCG

China's General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Wednesday reminded pet lovers not to illegally import "exotic pets," as the list of key controlled alien species at ports will take effect on May 1. After that, any unauthorized introduction of listed alien species will be subject to penalties, Wang Yiyu, a GAC official, made the remarks during a press conference on Wednesday.

The GAC, together with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and other departments, issued a list of key controlled alien species at ports on Monday for the first time. The first batch of the list covers 21 genera or species of alien species across four categories — insects, mollusks, fish, and amphibians — all of which require heightened port controls due to their potential invasion risk.

According to China's Biosecurity Law, anyone who introduces alien species without approval shall have the introduced alien species confiscated by the relevant departments, and shall be fined not less than 50,000 yuan ($7,333.9) but not more than 250,000 yuan.

Wang noted that in the first quarter of this year, China's customs authorities seized more than 1,000 "exotic pets" from items carried by inbound travelers as well as from mail and express parcels. These mainly included arthropods such as beetles and spiders, amphibians such as frogs and salamanders, ornamental fish, and reptiles such as lizards and snakes. 

The Global Times reporter found ornamental fish like the peacock cichlid and blue pearl killifish on the newly released list. Previously, Gongbei Customs in South China's Guangdong Province intercepted five kinds of ornamental fish carried into the country by passengers.

In recent years, some domestic pet enthusiasts seeking novelty have sparked a craze for keeping exotic pets. Unlike common pets such as dogs and cats, "exotic pets" are characterized by their bizarre and unusual appearances and mainly include reptiles, amphibians and insects.


"Illegally imported exotic pets may carry various pathogens because they have not undergone quarantine, posing a threat to human health. On the other hand, since their potential ecological impact has not been assessed, once they escape or are released into the wild, they could damage China's biodiversity and threaten ecological security," said Wang.