The owner of a Siamese crocodile, a Class 1 internationally endangered species discovered near a stream in Yeoju, Gyeonggi Province, has been booked by police eight days after the incident.

The Yeoju Police Station in Gyeonggi Province announced on July 27 that it has booked a man in his 30s, surnamed A, without detention on charges of violating the Wildlife Protection and Management Act.

A is suspected of purchasing and raising the Siamese crocodile for 1.2 million won through an online reptile trading community in 2023.

Siamese crocodiles are listed as a Class 1 internationally endangered species under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), making it illegal to capture, trade, or possess them without a permit.

Police formally booked A on the grounds that purchasing and raising the crocodile itself was illegal.

Previously, the crocodile was captured by fire authorities on the morning of July 18 at 11:27 AM near Soyangcheon stream in Chang-dong, Yeoju, following a resident report stating, "There appears to be a pet-like alligator."

The Yeoju city government transferred the crocodile, which it took over from fire authorities, to the National Institute of Ecology.

Separately, police had been conducting an investigation to track down the owner based on on-site inquiries.

During this process, police secured a statement from a resident saying, "There is someone who has been raising reptiles for about 10 years," and apprehended A on July 26 at his residence near the site where the crocodile was captured.

A stated, "I bought the Siamese crocodile from an online community for 1.2 million won three years ago," adding, "I received it by courier delivery at the time."

Regarding the abandonment allegations, A denied them, stating, "About two weeks ago, I put it out in the yard to let it sunbathe, and it disappeared," and asked, "Why would I abandon an alligator that I have raised for a long time and that has high value?"

Police also reportedly discovered an alligator snapping turtle inside A's residence.

Alligator snapping turtles are listed as a Class 2 internationally endangered species and are designated as an ecosystem-disrupting species in South Korea.

Police plan to investigate the exact circumstances surrounding A while expanding their investigation to track down the seller.

(Photo provided by Yeoju City, Yonhap News)