Huge crocodile with tyre around its neck finally has it removed

A huge crocodile with a motorbike tyre stuck around its neck for six years finally had the thing removed by brave locals in Palu City in Indonesia's South Sulawesi.

Previous attempts to remove the tyre, including by Australian wildlife expert Matt Wright for Discovery Channel in 2020, all failed.

The giant reptile was finally caught by 35-year-old Tili at night near Tatura Selatan village in Palu City on Monday 7 February.

Tili told local media that several days before catching the crocodile he caught its calf.

Then he set a trap for the tyre-trapped crocodile itself. The animal twice escaped from the trap before finally being captured.

Tili was assisted by local residents in pulling the animal ashore, after which he tied it up and the group sawed off the tyre.

He said he did it as he felt sorry for the croc, and that he spent around four million rupiah (£200) on dozens on chickens and pigeons used as bait during his long pursuit of the animal.