A crocodile escaped on Aug. 21 from its owner’s house and found its way into a neighbor's yard, according to local media in Sichuan province. The owner of the crocodile claimed to have purchased it earlier that same day for meat, but hadn't yet had the chance to slaughter and cook it.

The neighbor, surnamed Song, heard the crocodile fall from above her apartment and land on the ground outside her window. She later spotted the crocodile, which was more than 1 meter long, outside in the garden.

According to other residents, the owner of the crocodile lives on the fifth floor of the building. Most people guessed that the crocodile escaped through a window and fell into the garden.

The live crocodile was purchased as a birthday gift, since the crocodile's owner enjoys eating novel foods. However, all breeds of crocodiles are protected animals, so the purchase, exploitation, domestication or breeding of crocodiles without prior approval is illegal.

Currently, the forestry department is investigating the case.