‘Virtually Extinct’ Crocodile Lives With a Tire Around Its Neck

A rare and endangered crocodile has been living with a tire stuck around its neck for almost two years, according to Indonesian locals.

The great reptile was first spotted in early 2016 in Palu, when it walked up on the riverbank wearing what appeared to be an old scooter tire. Witnesses say even then the crocodile was gasping for air and struggling to breathe in its constraint, and it has continued to grow since.

Today, the collared croc is about 13 feet long. It was seen in the last week of December near another populous riverbank, fighting for every breath. Experts believe it’s a Siamese Crocodile, a species which is so endangered it has been presumed extinct a couple of times. A combination of habitat loss and poaching has driven the population down, but now it seems pollution is taking its toll as well.

The Central Sulawesi Natural Resource Conservation Agency told DailyMail it has sent seven volunteers to try and help the poor creature, but so far they haven’t been able to do much. Surprisingly, the croc hasn’t show interest in any of the bait they’ve used to dry and lure it to shore — mostly consisting of chickens or raw meat.

Experts say the crocodile will die within a matter of months if the tire isn’t removed from its neck. Already, it can be seen flailing and struggling for breath as its neck grows larger in circumference than the tire, which is believed to be 14 inches around.

“We have made a crocodile trap but cannot use it because we lack technical force capable of controlling wild crocodiles,” confessed Mr. Mulyadi, an official with the Conservation Agency.