The question appears legitimate: in Italy it is legal adopt a sugar glider? Also known as flying squirrels (despite not being rodents, but marsupials), these strange exotic animals had some luck a few years ago, like ferrets. Maybe you see less of them around now, but there are still advertisements for sale or adoption in circulation.
But can they be legally detained? Well, the question appears controversial.
Sugar glider: what does the law say in Italy?
In Italy sometimes common sense and regulations do not go hand in hand. Although on some sites it is written that the sugar glider cannot be legally detained, if we actually go and see the CITES lists or of Decree 1996 (with its 2001 update) which regulate the possession of “exotic” speciesactually the sugar glider does not appear on the lists of prohibited animals.
But here common sense should intervene: even if one’s idea is nice “flying squirrel”managing the sugar glider is not at all easy. Indeed, even if those on sale are not captured subjects, but rather descendants of animals bred in captivity, this does not mean that it is a species suitable for domestic detention. (READ also: Sugar glider: everything you need to know before (NOT) adopting a flying squirrel)
They are beautiful, particular and cute, but let’s leave them in their climate and environment. We certainly aren’t doing them any good if we force them into captivity here.
Is there a sugar glider in CITES?
Going to see the CITESeven here in Attachments I, II and III, when looking, there is no trace of the sugar glider. There are several others marsupialsbut not sugar gliders, not even searching by its scientific name, Petaurus breviceps.
Are there sugar gliders in the 1996 Decree?
Going through the Decree of the Ministry of the Environment of 19 April 1996 (including the Decree of the Ministry of the Environment of 26 April 2001, the one containing the amendments to Annex A of the inter-ministerial decree of 19 April 1996, regarding dangerous animals) , the one relating to the list of animal species that may constitute a danger for public health and safety and whose possession is prohibited, we find no trace of the sugar glider.
If we go to see the pets prohibitedin the Order of Marsupialia all genera and species of the Dasyuridae Family and the Macropodidae Family are prohibited. The first are i marsupial mice or marsupial shrews, the quoli and the Tasmanian devil, while the latter belong to the latter kangaroos.
Sugar gliders, however, are not part of these families, but of the family Petauridae. The scientific name of sugar gliders, in fact, is Petaurus breviceps.
Curiosities about the “flying squirrel”
We had already talked in the past about flying squirrels. Here we go to see some curiosity about these strange animals:
Sugar Glider: Everything You Need to Know Before (NOT) Adopting a Flying Squirrel
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