By Tim Binnall
An Indonesian man is being hailed as a hero after he managed to remove a motorcycle tire from around the neck of a crocodile that had been burdened by the onerous object for the last six years. The thirteen-foot-long creature had become something of a legend in its home country when it was first spotted sporting the rubber ring while swimming in the Palu River back in 2016. Following multiple sightings over the years, officials in Indonesia grew so concerned for the animal's safety that, in 2020, they actually went so far as to offer a cash reward to anyone who could rescue the animal from its predicament. And now, thanks to one dedicated individual, the unfortunate animal is finally free.
According to a local media report, a villager named Tili in the community of Sragen set about trying to rescue the crocodile around three weeks ago and began by setting traps using chickens and pigeons as bait in an attempt to lure the animal out of the water. The patient man's efforts proved to be successful on Monday evening when the tire-clad creature emerged from the river to avail itself of the free food. With the perfect opportunity presenting itself, Tilli bravely pounced on the animal and, with help from several other villagers, they were able to subdue the massive reptile at last.
As seen in the video above, they then carefully removed the rubber ring and subsequently released the crocodile back into the river to enjoy its newfound freedom. "I really wanted to catch him out of pity," Tilli told reporters, "the crocodile was wrapped in the tire for years." The kindhearted villager has understandably been praised for his good deed with many residents noting that he had bested celebrity conservationist Muhammad Panji, known in Indonesia as the "animal whisperer," who famously failed to free the crocodile when he attempted to do so back in 2018. It is uncertain as to whether or not Tilli will receive the cash reward, but he already has a trophy from the rescue as he kept the notorious tire that the creature had worn for so very long.