Penguin is a cute, nice, and lazy bird that is used to water life. It has an unusual tuxedo appearance that is usually called a counter shade. This appearance looks like camouflage and helps the penguin to be protected in the water. Although they are considered birds, they are flightless and adapted to swimming only. Penguins spend most of their lifetimes in the water as they catch fish there. Most species are endangered and illegal to purchase as pets in some countries. These birds are famous among people who attend zoos and marine attractions all over the world. We will discuss about how much a penguin cost and is it legal to buy.
After checking your country’s law about buying a penguin you need to research its price. The price of the penguin can start from a few hundred US dollars and go to over 10.000$ and 20.000$.
The real penguin can cost you from a few hundred to more than 10.000$ and 20.000 US dollars. The price may vary because of the specific type of this bird, its age, health condition, and many other factors.
Is it legal to purchase a penguin as a pet?
Before considering buying a penguin you should be serious about that because to legally purchase a penguin you would need special permission and legal documentation. Besides, before buying a penguin, you may need to check the laws of your residence. In some countries, it is illegal to buy a penguin as a pet. For example, in the USA they are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In Australia, for instance, you can purchase a penguin and keep it as a pet only having a legal permission document from the government. If you want to know about legalities related to purchasing and keeping penguins, you can check the USA.gov website.
Moreover, there are many species of penguins that have different prices in the market. The cost of the penguin may also vary from location to location. For example, wild penguins usually cost less than the ones living in zoos or aquariums as those are more used to human interactions and people interact with them easily. In reality, the cost of the penguin is highly dependent on the person who sells it. For instance, if you appraise a penguin a lot, it may be priceless or expensive.
Some factors considered when telling the price of the penguin
- Type of the penguin
For example, the yellow-eyed penguins are less expensive compared to emperor penguins which usually have a higher price.
- Age of the penguin
Adult penguins have a lower price. Baby penguins have a higher price
- Health condition of the penguin
Sick or injured penguins are less expensive. The healthy ones may cost you a lot of money
- Their place of living
Penguins living in a zoo or aquarium may cost a lot more expensive rather than wild penguins.
Are there any extra costs of buying a penguin?
Like every living organism, a penguin also needs to be fed. First of all, they need to receive a daily supply of fresh fish in order not to die. The average penguin can consume more than 300 pounds of fish in a year depending on the fish type. This means that you need to consider up to 1000$ a year for buying fish for your pet penguin. Also, there will be needed some supplements and vitamins for its well-being.
Besides, there are many other conditions necessary for the penguin to live properly such as a huge pool full of salty water, and proper temperature in a place.
As penguins can not live alone, it would be highly necessary to buy another one for the company. Also, among the costs needed for keeping penguins, the legal documentation price is considered. And as with any pet, unexpected and usual veterinary bills may arise. But local vets can help not so much in this case. For the penguin, a specialized vet should be called who will have experience with exotic animals.
FAQs
How much does a penguin cost?
You can buy a penguin if you have at least 500-20.000$.
Is it easy to keep a penguin?
Considering all the special conditions required for this bird to live as a pet, it is not easy to keep it.
What factors can affect the price of the penguin?
Several factors should be taken into account such as the age, health condition, species of the penguins, etc.
Conclusion
The price of the penguin may vary depending on several factors. Do you want to buy a penguin? So be ready for a quite huge amount of money such as 10.000 and up to 20.000$. Plus, be able to cover additional prices such as living conditions, unexpected and stable costs and don’t forget to check the countries law on this point. Instead of buying a penguin, you may think of adopting one because in some countries there are adoption programs that may be available in some local zoos.
