A restaurateur has put a live crocodile in his shop in a bid to attract customers in south-west China.
Children are allowed to pet the crocodile at will while many adults take selfies with the reptile.
Footage from the restaurant shows that the crocodile appearing to be reluctant as it was put on a leash and taped around the mouth.
A boy spoke in the video that he was not afraid of the one-metre-long crocodile
People took snaps of a mother and her child touching the crocodile at a restaurant in China
According to Pear Video, the one-metre-long (3.28 ft) crocodile belonged to the restaurant owner in Yubei district of Chongqing.
The seven-year-old reptile was kept as a pet in the restaurant, said the owner, whose identity has not been revealed.
Customers can be seen taking pictures or even selfies with the captive crocodile.
One diner was dragging the crocodile to the front as the owner stood by and watched
A restaurateur allowed diners to take a snap of his pet crocodile in Chongqing (left). He put the reptile on a leash and kept its mouth closed by tape for diners to pet (right)
The restaurant owner, pictured, said his pet crocodile was seven years old
A young boy said he was not afraid when he touched it.
The crocodile, with a leash on its neck and tapes around its mouth, tried to resist as the owner dragged it outside the restaurant.
The bizarre incident had shocked web users on Weibo, a Chinese social media site.
‘Isn’t crocodiles listed as protected species in China?’ Asked web user ‘Zhousanjin’.
‘Please let the crocodile go! People can go to the zoo if they want to see crocodiles,’ said ‘babianxiaomai’.
According to China’s list of protected species, only Chinese alligator, also known as Yangtze alligator, is listed a critically endangered species.
However, a permit is required by law for all crocodile breeders and owners.
It remains unsure if the restaurateur had acquired one.