Crocodiles belong to the scope of national wildlife protection, and many species belong to endangered wildlife species, which is an important international protected species. "The domestication, breeding, sale, acquisition, transportation, import and export of crocodiles must strictly abide by the relevant provisions of CITES (Note: Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) and People's Republic of China (PRC) Wildlife Protection Law, and crocodiles and their products shall not be domesticated, bred and smuggled illegally."

In 2003, the State Forestry Administration lifted the ban on the commercial operation and utilization of 54 kinds of domesticated and bred wild animals, including crocodiles. In other words, since 2003, crocodiles, especially those domesticated and bred artificially, can be commercialized conditionally and eaten by people.