Recently, in the Indonesian town of Palu, a crocodile with a motorcycle tire around its neck could be spotted. Local residents had grown accustomed to the sight, as the animal had been living this way for six years. However, they began to worry about its life as the crocodile had grown significantly and could potentially suffocate. They did not have the courage to release it themselves. Eventually, a brave individual stepped forward to help the animal.
The crocodile living in the vicinity of Palu in the Central Sulawesi province of Indonesia had been living with a motorcycle tire around its neck for six years. Finally, its suffering came to an end as a man stepped forward to release it.
Elusive and Unapproachable 35-year-old Tili is a self-taught animal rescuer, who captured the crocodile on his own, on a late evening.
“I asked for help from the locals, but they were too scared. The crocodile fell into a trap I had set up myself,” he said.
After capturing and immobilizing the animal, the man used a small saw to cut the tire.
Tili explained that the crocodile was elusive and unapproachable as it rarely appeared in the water. Therefore, the man set up a trap with live chickens and ducks. After three weeks, Tili was ready to give up as the crocodile had escaped the trap twice.
Residents worried about suffocation The crocodile evoked sympathy from local residents who were worried that the tire would eventually lead to its death.
In January 2020, the regional bureau of nature conservation offered a reward for anyone who could remove the tire from the crocodile’s neck. It is unknown if Tili plans to apply for it. As the man stated, his main motivation is to help wild animals.