Story By:  Gheorghi Caraseni, Sub Editor:  Joseph Golder,  Agency: Central European News

A Russian artist has revealed how one of the customers for his artworks offered to pay using this live crocodile – and he accepted.

Victor Kaplun, 27, specialises in portraits for clients and his work is increasing in popularity, where although he has typically been getting between 30,000-50,000 RUB (350-600 GBP) the prices have been going up, and one of his most recent creations named ‘Bludny syn’ (Prodigal son) he sold for 500,000 RUB (6,000 GBP).

It is unclear what the artwork was that he sold to the client in exchange for a crocodile, although it was apparently an illustration of the clients holiday recently in the Maldives.

It was also not clear why the man did not have cash, but the artist said he found it difficult to refuse because he had always been fascinated by crocodiles.

However his enjoyment was not that long lived after he discovered he would not be allowed to keep it at his home in the city of Lesosibirsk, in the Krasnoyarsk Krai region, southern Russia, because it was banned to keep such animals following a law that was introduced this year.

It might explain why the man was keen to pay for the artwork with the crocodile, as the law specifically names crocodiles on a list of banned pets, together with foxes, tigers, bears, electric rays, and certain types of snakes and spiders.

However, Victor did keep it long enough to shoot a video where he can be seen with the crocodile, the species of which is not known, on a table and he has his hands on its body, and then raises its tail to show that it is alive.

He said: “I’m going to pass it to the local zoo and will sponsor it in the future. I’ll be coming to visit and see if everything is ok with it.”

The artist was raised in an orphanage before eventually getting a place and graduating from the Surikoskoe school of arts.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.