"Another said 'No need to get the authorities involved' and said they could take it off my hands straight away." "One person said they were calling on behalf of a friend while a fourth person just said 'I heard you on the radio, it's my crocodile." Incredibly, it is perfectly legal to keep a crocodile as a pet in Victoria if you have an advanced wildlife licence from the Department of Environment. Snake hunter Mark Pelley captured a freshwater crocodile in Heidelberg in Melbourne on Christmas Day, 2017. Credit:Mark Pelley But these Melburnians must have had a snap in judgment, with freshwater crocodiles growing up to three metres long.

Given their large size variation, Mr Pelley said his Heidelberg croc, a young lad, could remain the size he is now or grow to be a three-metre killer. Crikey! Snake hunter Mark Pelley with police and the crocodile on Christmas Day, 2017. Credit:Mark Pelley Mr Pelley, who has been catching snakes for six years, said he'd been waiting for the call that came through on Christmas Day all his life. "It's the call I've always wanted, someone to say 'There's a crocodile walking around Melbourne'. It was all my Christmases come at once." Police were called by two stunned walkers shortly after 8.30pm and expected to find a large lizard, but upon arriving at the Waiora Road address, discovered the one-metre long crocodile sitting quietly on the footpath.

He is a long way from home, with freshwater crocodiles only native to far north Queensland. Mr Pelley said it was likely someone bought him as a pet and abandoned him when they realised it was too much work. The crocodile on the loose on Christmas Day. "They are fascinating creatures but I only know a handful of people who own a pet crocodile. They live for a long time - easily 30 years. A pet is not just for Christmas, it's for life."

The Christmas crocodile, St Nick Your Face Off, will be surrendered to the Department of Environment on Wednesday. Anyone who wants to stake a claim will have to prove they are the croc's rightful owner by producing their registration or photos or videos of the creature. "I want the animal's welfare taken care of," Mr Pelley said. "That's the most important thing to me."